If we don't raise the minimum wage to help working Hawaii folks keep up with the rising costs of living, what's the alternative? Force landlords to keep rent low? That's not going to happen. Expect 5+ tenants to share 1-bedroom apartments? Unfortunately, that's already happening (check out Craigslist). In my experience, the sort of folks who consistently oppose raising the minimum wage are the same sort of folks who think 10% is an excellent restaurant tip.