I am writing in response to the article titled, “Opinion: We Both Deserve $15. Why Don’t Our Senators Think So?”, published in your newspaper on February 28, 2020. I agree with that the minimum hourly wage in Virginia should be raised to $15/hour. Northern Virginia is an expensive area to live and the wage you receive often determines the choices you are able to make. Oftentimes, people are constrained by their education in what job they are able to acquire. Raising the minimum wage will help those who may start out further behind everyone else due to socioeconomic status. If we take a step back from individuals, and look at our community as a whole, we will see that amongst many well-off families, there are some families in poverty. Raising the minimum wage to $15/hour, will allow families in lower socioeconomic statuses to “catch up” to other people in their community.

Hannah Johnson

Centreville