A Rising Tide

What to Know: As predicted, wages are rising as unemployment decreases. Workers and their families are reaping the benefits.

“Hourly wages in Austin are going up and the jump is big,” CBS Austin reports. “According to Austin Economic Indicators average hourly wages in the private sector went up by 4.9 percent at the end of last year. The wage growth is making it harder for employers to stay competitive in Austin’s tight job market. P. Terry’s Burger Stand works hard to attract customers and puts in just as much effort to woo employees. ‘You just have to work a little bit harder to get the people you want,’ said Patrick Terry, founder of P. Terry’s Burger Stand. Across Austin the average hourly wage in the private sector is on the rise. Minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but no one at the fast-food restaurant chain that operates in Texas is being paid that to flip burgers and bag fries.”

The TPPF Take: This is simple economics.

“A tight labor market across Texas has contributed to Texans receiving higher pay,” says TPPF’s Vance Ginn. “This is a good sign for families and the state’s economy. The Texas Model of limited government should continue to be improved to support more of this.”

More From TPPF: