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EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) - Inflation remains high and the cost of goods continues to increase in many areas.

Even if you are making a higher wage, many are experiencing less money at the end of their budget month.

Some states and cities are attempting to help workers stuck in an upside-down situation by increasing minimum wage thresholds. But it is proving to have unintended negative effects.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota is an example where minimum wage for large employers has been increased to $15.57 an hour, more than twice the federal minimum wage. This will apply to all employers in the Minneapolis area this summer.

But already Lift and Uber are pulling out of the market because of the costs of doing business.

And when that rate applies to fast-food workers, it will only result in a contraction in those jobs as well.

When Government tries to artificially improve metrics like earnings, it rarely succeeds.

Minimum wage jobs are not meant to be career sustaining jobs, they aren’t meant to provide a livable wage for a family of four. These are entry level spots that will over time allow employees to learn the business and advance up vertically into the business.

California has done the same as Minneapolis with a 20 dollar-an-hour rate for fast-food workers taking effect on April 1. It too is causing a reduction in hours for some restaurants while others are just closing shop.

The free market is not designed to work that way. Let individual competition drive wages and all will benefit and that will make for a Better East Texas.