Why Maryland should raise the minimum wage

Almost like clockwork, those who oppose an increase in Maryland’s minimum wage have started trotting out the same arguments that are repeated every time legislators consider raising the state’s wage floor. While their claims are often expressed as conventional wisdom, it’s worth pausing briefly to consider whether the facts actually support their view.

Perhaps most commonly, minimum wage opponents insist that employers will hire fewer workers if the minimum wage rises. To support this prediction,…