Recent stories about Utah layoffs highlight a deeper issue that rarely gets covered: wages in our state are still pegged to a federal minimum wage of $7.25, unchanged since 2009. Companies justify pay by calling $21.75 “three times minimum wage” or $28 “four times.” On paper that looks generous. In reality, it doesn’t cover rising costs.
Since COVID, groceries have doubled, car insurance rises each renewal and housing costs have exploded. When my family moved from Pocatello to Vernal, our monthly expenses went up by $1,700 — even though we planned carefully. Rent was the biggest increase, but everything else cost more too.
Meanwhile, corporations report record profits. Workers see headlines about billions in sales but don’t see those gains in their paychecks. Utah’s strong economy should mean strong families — but right now too many are just surviving, not thriving.
It’s time we stop measuring wages by outdated benchmarks and start asking whether families can actually afford to live here in 2025.
Travis Sawyer
Vernal