Rep. Ben McAdams voted Thursday against a proposed bill to raise the national minimum wage to $15. As much as I would like to see everyone make a living wage, this is not the way to go about it. I applaud McAdams for favoring a more balanced approach. I think we can all agree that $7.25 an hour is a complete joke of a salary and increases are needed, but a one-size-fits-all solution is problematic and ignores the fact that cost of living varies widely from state to state.

Like McAdams said, what works for New York City or Los Angeles doesn’t work for Utah. Yes, our economy is experiencing rapid growth and the cost of living is naturally increasing as well. But, we still aren’t in the same league as the aforementioned cities. It makes much more sense to base the minimum wage on regional cost of living. I urge members of Congress to go back to the drawing board and come with a more equitable course of action.

Ryan Curtis

Salt Lake City