And while the minimum wage has lost about 20 percent of its buying power since the last increase, average hourly wages have done better.

But since the increase in eruptions of violence over the past ten years, foreign travel to the region has greatly decreased.

Since the increase in the use of laparoscopic surgery, the number of live donors has increased.

It has been nearly six years since the last increase.

Members of Congress have raised their own pay by $31,600 since the last increase in the minimum wage nine years ago.

It had been 10 years since the previous increase in the minimum wage, and this was one of the first acts of the 110th Congress.

Since the 1987 increase, stock market prices and volume have also risen.

Since the 2004 increase, the value of medallions has soared by more than $100,000 and drivers' incomes are up 37 percent.

But the drop in traffic since the increase was greater than Port Authority officials expected.

It's been four years since the last increase, so it ought not to be a surprise to anyone.