Breakdown: What Does a Higher Minimum Wage Cost?

$100 million every two years—in the public sector.

Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Kate Brown are hell-bent on increasing Oregon's minimum wage this month. People on every rung of the economic ladder are calculating how the wage hike will impact their bottom line.

That includes government workers. More than 165,000 Oregonians draw a public sector paycheck, and many of them will see their pay increase directly or indirectly.

The total cost to Oregon's governments, according to a preliminary Jan. 30 analysis by the Legislative Fiscal Office, is $100 million every two years.

("This estimate excludes elected legislative members," the analysis says. "Salaries for legislators, if calculated on an hourly basis, would be below minimum wage if an increase to $13.50 [an hour] is implemented.")

Republicans say the cost is far higher.

Here's how the hike will hit the public sector.

minimumwageinfographic

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