Minimum wage increases are not a very effective mechanism for reducing poverty. They are not related to decreases in … poverty rates. They can cost some low-income workers their jobs. And most minimum wage earners who gain from a higher minimum … wage do not live in poor (or near-poor) families. A better tool for reducing poverty, and at lower cost, is the earned …

reform succeeds or fails depends largely on what happens in big cities, where poverty and welfare receipt are most …