By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri's minimum wage of $7.05 an hour was surpassed today with the rise of the national minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.
The higher minimum wage is not welcome news to the state's business interests.
David Overfelt, President of the Missouri Retailers Association, says it will force companies to cut back the number of available positions.
"The job market is tough as it is, and this is going to hurt anybody that is looking to get into the work force," Overfelt said.
Supporters of the higher wage say, though, that all workers should be paid a living wage, and that the higher minimum will result in more people putting more money into the economy.
Missouri voters passed a ballot measure in 2006 that recalculates the state minimum wage each year based on the Consumer Price Index.
If in a given year the recalculation results in the state minimum wage being higher than the national wage, then the Missouri minimum would take precedent.