Editor’s note: This commentary is by Mike Hudson, a former computer security expert and current fourth-year medical student at the University of Vermont who is going into family medicine. He is a resident of Richmond, where he is also a firefighter.
[A]s a fourth-year medical student at UVM, I regularly witness the devastating effects of poverty on the patients that I see. Certainly the homeless patients that I work with have predictably poor health — how, for example, can a diabetic that camps at the Intervale use insulin that has to be refrigerated in the summer months? But just as strikingly, and far more widespread, those with who live below the federal poverty line have just as predictably poor health. This applies to over 60,000 Vermonters, and more than half of single mothers with small children. And the situation is worsening — there are now nearly 3,000 more children living in poverty in Vermont than there were in 2008. Raising the minimum wage to $15/hour is the first step in addressing this awful situation, in improving Vermonters’ health, and in bolstering our community.
What are the effects of poverty on people’s health that I see so often? Poor nutrition (healthier foods cost more) leads to significantly higher rates of adolescent obesity and the lifetime of health problems that follow. Poor dental health. Higher rates of cardiovascular disease. Increased rates of depression and anxiety, which for children can lead to a lifetime of mental health problems. The palpable exhaustion of desperately scraping at three jobs every day to provide adequate food and shelter for one’s family. And this is when things go relatively well. When disaster strikes — serious illness, such as a heart attack or cancer — what little reserves exist are exhausted, second and third jobs are lost due to time spent in the hospital, and destitution awaits. Certainly enough to glimpse at why the World Health Organization has called poverty the greatest cause of suffering on earth.
Without H.93, the income gap will widen, our poor will get poorer, their health will decline, and our state will suffer.
I am not a young student with eyes filled with stars. With over 20 years of professional experience, I recognize that increasing the minimum wage significantly will have a real impact on local businesses. Some business owners may have to reduce staff and work even longer hours. Faltering businesses may fail. But these unfortunate cases will be in the minority, as raising the minimum wage actually supports all businesses in Vermont. For example, increased wages will result in less turnover, resulting in less time lost and less spending on recruiting and training new employees. And increased wages will affect an estimated 85,000 Vermonters — over 12 percent of the state’s population! Which will create more local spending, helping strengthen our economy as we strengthen individuals and communities. Concerned businesses should also look to Washington state, which has some of the nation’s highest minimum wage requirements, and also among the nation’s highest rates of small business growth.
If anything, H.93, the bill introduced to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour by 2022, does not go far enough. The Economic Policy Institute has found that rural Vermonters today already need $15.66/hour to cover basic needs, and those living in Burlington need over $19 an hour. Projecting to 2022, minimum wage needs increase to $18/hour in rural areas and over $23/hour in Burlington. Without H.93, the income gap will widen, our poor will get poorer, their health will decline, and our state will suffer. And with many other cities and states considering or passing similar legislation, this bill is very necessary to ensure that Vermont remains competitive in the future. Otherwise, we will lose valuable workers who leave to make a better life for themselves and their families in places where they can be fairly compensated for their work.
Ultimately, we must consider raising Vermont’s minimum wage across three domains. In moral terms, health care is a fundamental human right, and we must strive to reduce and eliminate disparities in the health of our neighbors. Raising the minimum wage and thus reducing Vermont poverty is an essential step in this process. In economic terms, studies have found increased wages improve economies, and further that health disparities contribute to tens of billions of dollars of preventable health care spending. This means that reducing poverty simply makes good economic sense. And in simple human terms, this is one way we can ensure our neighbors are able to help themselves through good, fairly paid work.
