© 2025 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Florida’s living wage problem is getting worse

It’s getting harder to financially get by in the State of Florida. Despite the minimum wage rising this past year to $14, that amount is not enough to get by according to the Florida Policy Institute.

Instead, they say the average wage needs to be closer to $18 for a single adult and for anyone with a child, that amount increases to over $27 for a single parent. We talked with FPI Senior Policy Analyst Alexis Tsoukalas to learn why Southwest Floridians should be concerned about not earning a living wage.

WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.

Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • Molt is defined as the routine loss and replacement of feathers. It can occur at any time of year, but in most birds a complete molt occurs in late summer and fall and a partial molt may occur in early spring.The timing of each molt is important. In late summer and fall, there is generally an abundance of insects, seeds, and fruit that provides the energy for molt. This molt provides birds with fresh plumage and often colors and patterns that help conceal it in winter environments.
  • The Florida SouthWestern State College theater department is performing seven 10-minute plays this weekend and next. The program is headlined by the world premiere of an homage to legendary artist Robert Rauschenberg, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday October 22.
  • Saying “the First Amendment is not absolute,” a federal judge rejected an initial attempt to require state officials to reinstate a biologist who was fired because of a social media post after the murder of conservative leader Charlie Kirk. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s ruling Thursday came in a lawsuit filed by biologist Brittney Brown, who worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alleging that her Sept. 15 firing — five days after Kirk was shot during an appearance at a Utah university — violated her First Amendment rights. Brown sought a preliminary injunction to require the commission to reinstate her.