How Scranton, the Electric City, is helping hourly workers

Check out this piece in The Philadelphia Citizen about an innovative program that raises wages that’s helping Scranton businesses stay in business.

Why do this?

From the article:

The Commonwealth’s minimum wage of $7.25/hour — which is the federal minimum established by Congress more than a decade ago — is not a living wage. And as costs continue to rise, the difference between that paltry wage and the ability to support a family grows more stark. By boosting wages, the Scranton program helps close that gap, making it possible for families to pay their existing bills and, ideally, allowing them to start building savings. That, in turn, makes it more likely citizens will be able to afford living and working in Scranton, helping the city maintain its tax base and make longer-term improvement plans.