I live in the northwest of the US.  We are now the small business and start up mecca of the US.  Why?  San Francisco and Silicon Valley are too expensive.  So, folks are moving in droves to Portland and Seattle – 1/3 of the license plates in my hood are out of state.

But, there are challenges.   The cost of housing and living in the NW is now approaching San Francisco standards of 4 years ago.  The challenge is that the surplus of new folks (millennials in their late 20’s and early 30’s) moving into town require livable wage work.  So with the influx of folks into the NW, Seattle and Portland are raising the minimum wage to $15/hour. Continue reading →