Legislators Participating in Minimum Wage Challenge to Host "Reality Check" with Workers

Minneapolis–Saint Paul, MN- Monday marks the end of Working Minnesota’s week-long Minimum Wage Challenge in which five state Representatives from across the state, and a City Council member from Moorhead, try to make ends meet on a minimum wage budget. Minimum Wage Challenge participants include: Reps. Karen Clark (District 62A), Frank Hornstein (District 61A), John Lesch (District 66B), Jason Metsa (District 6B), Shannon Savick (District 27A), and Heidi Durand, a City Council member from Moorhead.

The first day of the Challenge, Feb. 18th, focused on setting a budget for things like food and transportation to determine, roughly, what is affordable. On subsequent days of the Challenge, participants went grocery shopping within the means of their budget, and explored housing and transportation options. On Monday, the final day of the Challenge, participants will host a “reality check” meeting with low-wage workers whose real experiences shed light on the impact of bad economic policies better than any week-long challenge possibly could. The day after the Challenge ends, the legislative session in Minnesota begins, during which a bill to raise the state’s minimum wage will be considered.

WHAT: Minimum Wage Challenge Participants Host “Reality Check” with Low Wage Workers

WHO: Minimum Wage Workers from Minnesota

Rep. Karen Clark (District 62A)

Rep. Frank Hornstein (District 61A)

Rep. John Lesch (District 66B)

Rep. Jason Metsa (District 6B)

Rep. Shannon Savick (District 27A)

Councilmember Heidi Durand

WHEN: February 24, 2014, 11am

WHERE: State Office Building, Room 300N

100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Saint Paul, MN 55155