If it were up to Green Party gubernatorial candidate Harry Hempy, cities and counties would have the choice to raise their minimum wages individually, the best way for Colorado communities to keep up with the rising cost of living. Hempy, a retired IBM computer scientist with a career spanning 40 years, spoke to a small audience at the Millibo Art Theatre on South Tejon Street on Sunday about his plan to raise minimum wages for workers in Colorado. Minimum wage in Colorado is $8 per hour and is increased or decreased based on inflation, but Hempy argued that the cost of living keeps getting higher while wages keep getting lower. "Since the bank crisis of 2008, the median wage in Colorado hasn't improved for anyone," Hempy said.Read more on Colorado Springs Gazette