As Christian leaders in the islands of Hawaiʻi, we write to urge the legislature and governor to raise the minimum wage as proposed for the current legislative session in Senate Bill 2018.

Our faith demands concern for the poor that is the tap root of the Christian ethic of economic justice. Our biblical heritage teaches us that caring for the poor, the least among us, the stranger, and those on the edge of society is central to our understanding of the mercy and love of Christ Jesus, and to our responsibility to love our neighbor as ourselves.

We ask our elected leaders to recognize the financial pressures on the people of these islands—especially the working poor. These are members of our congregations, our friends, our neighbors and our relatives. The gradual increase in the minimum wage to $18 an hour over the next four years will provide Hawaiʻi a basic standard for an individual to survive considering the cost of housing and basic living, and as we continue to seek a sustainable living wage.