Letter to the editor: Westmoreland needs higher wages to grow population

Some recent articles spotlighting trending population declines in Westmoreland County and efforts by county commissioners to make the county more attractive to employers and job seekers, while discussing a number of issues contributing to this decline, did not address the elephant in the room. This is WAGES.

Pennsylvania still has a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Every state that borders Pennsylvania has minimum wages greater than ours. Sen. Kim Ward is leading the way to stop any minimum wage increase, something against the interest of every Pennsylvania resident in these tough times. A $15/hour minimum wage means an annual salary of $31,200. The annual poverty wage for a family of four in the continental U.S. just increased from $26,000 to $30,000. So a minimum wage of $15 is NOT a living wage but only brings a family of four with a single family member working for that wage to just over the poverty level.

Republicans pushing “Right to Work” laws do not help, as these are actually “Right to work for slave wages.” The decrease of unions in this area has undermined wages since 1970. We need higher wages for Pennsylvania workers to maintain the county population.

Harold Franklin Weaver

Hempfield