Bad ideas are hard to kill. Bellingham voters will have a minimum wage increase proposal set before them this November, and have the chance to accept or reject this policy that will cost businesses and consumers alike.

In his latest Citizens' Guide, Mark Harmsworth details how the increase to the minimum wage damages local economies that are built from small businesses. In particular, low-wage workers in entry level positions are hit the hardest, as those jobs are often lost the quickest from these types of increases. This also often results in increased prices across the board, something much harder for lower to middle-income families to absorb, disproportionately impacting them hardest.

For a full analysis of the proposal and the real world impacts of the policy, check out the full Citizens' Guide here.