The Left doesn’t know the first thing about running a government. But this should be obvious to anyone.
And now a harebrained Democrat scheme could completely tank the economy.
Activist Push for $25 Minimum Wage in Maryland
The activist organization One Fair Wage is actively campaigning for a 2026 ballot initiative in Maryland that would establish a $25 hourly minimum wage—far exceeding rates in any other state and raising significant concerns among economists and business leaders about economic fallout.
“$25 isn’t radical! It’s survival,” the group posted to X on Friday morning. “One Fair Wage is pushing a 2026 ballot measure to make Maryland the first state with a true living wage for all workers.”
While the federal minimum remains $7.25, states like California stand at around $16.50 and Washington, D.C., at approximately $17.95. Approval of this proposal would equate to over $52,000 annually for full-time workers, a dramatic leap from Maryland’s current statewide rate of $15 (with some local variations higher in counties like Montgomery).
Economist Warns of Severe Consequences
Rachel Greszler, a Maryland-based senior research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, described the idea as overly extreme, particularly in a state already facing competitive pressures.
“I think it’s insane. Maryland’s already trying to compete, especially with Virginia nearby, and you were losing businesses, especially the small businesses, which are disproportionately affected by high minimum wages, and to do this is just gonna exacerbate the problems that we’re having with the budget, of course, and of having good jobs for people,” she said, noting that “good intentions don’t necessarily lead to good outcomes.” Virginia’s rate is set to reach around $12.77 starting January 1.
“You need these starting wages to be able to step onto the ladder and then be able to climb it. If that first step is $25 an hour or $52,000 a year, a lot of people would just never be able to step onto it,” she said, noting the risk of youth employment decline even further.
Greszler has highlighted that teen employment has dropped significantly in recent decades, contributing to fewer entry-level opportunities.
“Half of people who earn it are under age 24. It’s primarily teenagers. And more than half of the people who are earning the minimum wage are just working part-time,” she noted.
Business Groups Highlight Risks to Jobs and Economy
Non-partisan organizations representing businesses have echoed these alarms, pointing to Maryland’s ongoing challenges in job retention under Democrat-led policies.
“We understand that many Marylanders are struggling with the cost of living and want better opportunities to get ahead. But Maryland’s economy is already struggling to create and keep jobs, and raising the minimum wage to $25 would make it even harder,” the Maryland Chamber of Commerce stated in November.
Greszler expressed skepticism about the measure’s chances if it reaches voters, given the magnitude of the increase. “I think it’s such a big jump,” she said. “I could see them going for a smaller one.”
While acknowledging sympathy for cost-of-living pressures, she emphasized sustainability concerns: “there’s no way that that’s gonna be sustainable.”
The initiative is currently in the signature-gathering phase, with activists aiming to qualify it for the 2026 ballot.
