To the editor:

As a concerned citizen, I was wondering if most Kansans knew that minimum wage is only $2.65 an hour in our state. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I found out that Kansas is the only state that has intentionally set its minimum wage lower than the federal minimum wage. This year, I have been following the minimum wage bills nationally and locally and was so disappointed when the Kansas Legislature failed to pass an increase by just four votes.

Having lived in Kansas all my life, I know that Kansans value hard work and pride themselves on their work ethic. It is sad that our minimum wage does not reflect this value. According to the Kansas Department of Labor, at least 19,000 people, 2 percent of the hourly-paid workforce, make below the federal minimum wage. If they work 40 hours a week, these workers will only make $5,000 a year!

It is time that concerned citizens speak up for workers in our community and let legislators know that we do not find it acceptable that people in our communities are living in such poverty.

Emily Meissen,

Lawrence