Blue States Hike Wages Again on Jan. 1. Let Them Experiment, and Keep Washington Out of It
Washington state's minimum wage rises to $17.73 and California's keeps climbing, while the federal floor stays at $7.25. In our view, states should set their own course and voters should judge the results.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 6, 2026 | 5-min read On New Year's Day, a cashier in Spokane will earn at least $17.73 an hour. A cashier in Seattle will earn at least $22.14. A cashier in a state that follows only the federal minimum can still be paid $7.25, the same rate that took effect in July 2009 [1][2][4]. That is a huge gap, and the usual instinct in Washington, D.C., is to close it with one national number. In our view, that instinct is wrong. Let blue states run their experiment, let red-state voters set their own course, and let Americans see the results. Key Takeaways Washington, California, Connecticut, New Jersey and Michigan all raise their minimum wages on Jan. 1, 2027. Washington leads at $17.73, up 3.5%, and California rises to $17.40 [1][2][3]. Washington and California now adjust their floors automatically for inflation every year, so lawmakers do not have to vote on the raises [2][3]. Red states are not standing still. Florida reached $15 on Sept. 30, Missouri is at $15, and Nebraska rises to $15.26 on Jan. 1 [1]. For a