Second Class Citizens (Portland, Eugene, Salem: hardwood floors, sales, apartment)

[oregonwoodsmoke]

Everyone who lives east of the Cascades is well aware that Portland is oblivious to the lifestyle and needs of anyone who isn't them. They have no idea how their laws affect anyone outside of Portland, nor do they care.

Now here's some more proof that the rest of Oregon doesn't count. Portland minimum wage is to be $14.75, but if you do the exact same job and work just as hard but you live on the "wrong side of the tracks, er Cascades", you only get $12.50 for doing the same work.

Isn't that what all sorts of "rights" movements have been about? That people should all receive the same pay for doing the exact same job?

Not that I think raising the minimum wage to $ 14.75 is a good idea, but shouldn't people doing the exact same job and the exact same amount of work be paid the same?

Of course, that pay raise might come in handy since our legislature has decided to dispense with 33.65% of the electricity production. Expect electricity costs to double, or more than double, with probable rolling blackouts.

That pay raise will also come in handy if the voters pass this expensive new sales tax, which will tax nearly every purchase, even groceries, and possibly even rent. I expect the voters to pass if because the politicians are presenting it as a tax on the wealthy. Pass it to stick it to the big corporations and, surprise!, you just raised taxes on yourself, and quite substantially. The new sales tax is to pay for PERS. Why does it not occur to the politicians to fix the PERS issue instead of raising taxes to pay for it?

[Metlakatla]

Idk, oregonwoodsmoke, last I checked, it was the people out here on the right side of the mountains who were protesting paying the higher min. wage amount. In fact, many of them were claiming they'd go bankrupt if they had to accommodate any increase in min. wage whatsoever. I wouldn't be so quick to point the finger at Portland in this case. The lower amount was a concession to actions like this:

http://www.capitalpress.com/Oregon/2...age-hike-plans

Stuff's cheaper out here, that's for sure.

[peaceloveandjulie]

Like it or not, an area's cost of living is factored into the wages paid there. It's not the sole determinant but it's part of it. You can easily rent a nice one-bedroom apartment in Klamath Falls for $600/month, which is substantially less than what one would pay in Portland. Heck, I saw an absolutely beautiful apartment inside and out in K-Falls with a separate entrance, patio, restored hardwood floors and a great art deco feel (down to the round-top, carved wood, speakeasy door) for $550/month and wished I was there to snap it up to live in while I was building.

When so much of the small cities' and towns' employment is comprised of local businesses, it becomes tricky. K-Falls doesn't have Nike and high-tech firms as employers. So if a small business is mandated to pay all of its workers $15/hour and its sales don't increase from citizens' spending power, then it has to either lay off workers or reduce workers' hours to make it.

Now, a lower minimum wage could actually work in the rural areas' favor and combat the higher unemployment if large companies decide that they could open offices, manufacturing facilities, etc. in these towns and save on payroll, taxes, and fees. An infusion of property tax money would improve services and infrastructure in the rural communities. If the cost of living increased with the rate of employment down the road, then the communities themselves could decide if they needed the minimum wage for their area tweaked and respond appropriately.

A minimum wage is just that. A minimum. I personally don't believe that wages are a good reflection of work quality, competence, experience, or certainly dignity/personhood. They're simply an amalgam of what somebody can/is willing to pay and what someone else has determined they can live on. It's up to individuals to determine what they can and will accept and what choices they'll make. And by individuals, I mean both employees and employers.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Oregonwoodsmoke is correct.


Currently, the entire state of Oregon is really the state of Portland (or, Potland as it is now referred to). The state house is controlled by Portland democrats and they have zero interest in the coast, southern or eastern parts of the state. But why should they? Those congresspeople represent Portland.


So it is true that outside of the tri county area the rest of the state no longer has effective representation in Salem. And this is why they stages the 'walkout' last session- to try and hammer home to the Portland democrats that their lives matter.


As to the minimum wage, this will be devastating (or possibly so) for rural areas. The best thing to do was to set a floor of $10/hr and then let local municipalities vote higher up to the levels set for the area.

[Metlakatla]

Oh, I get the point she was trying to make and agree that Oregon's interests are largely controlled by the urban sector, but nonetheless, it was the people of Eastern Oregon who asked for -- and got -- a reduced raise in the minimum wage. It wasn't a matter of Portland somehow deciding that people out here were worth less per hour as stated in the OP. Again, the people of Eastern Oregon implicitly asked for that.

[ccjarider]

Eastern OR folks are smart enough to know that having a relativily high min. wage offers no value there. People are willing to work for less and it's not like it is an economically booming region like a Seattle or SF.

There will be a move to a more cash based, off the book payment for services. That's ok - more $ in circulation that govt' does not know about, the better. Less taxes paid to OR and DC.

How some in OR can be proud of the fact that it now mandates the highest min wage in the country while it is a somewhat economically depressed region is beyond comprehension.

I've stated it before and will again: 35 yrs of one party rule has really dumbed down this place.

[PNW-type-gal]

Of all the issues to pick to illustrate the divide between Portland/urban Oregon and rural Oregon, this is the most baffling. If the rest of the state had been boosted to Portland-level minimum wage, there would be complaining about out-of-touch Portland (where 1 br apt rent is running about $1,200) vs rural Oregon (where that same amount gets you a larger house). In this case, there is complaining about out-of-touch Portland vs rural Oregon because the raise wasn't the same?

Oregon population: 4 million
Portland metro: 2.35 million (granted that includes Clark County, WA)
Salem metro: 395,000
Eugene metro: 365,000
Medford/RV metro: 210,000
Bend metro: 185,000

combined city metro = 2.2 mil + 1.15 mil = 3.35 million. That means roughly 80% of the state's residents live in city/metro areas. So, yes, most legislation is designed with city/metro residents in mind.

[McFrostyJ]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

Oregon population: 4 million

Combined city metro = 2.2 mil + 1.15 mil = 3.35 million. That means roughly 80% of the state's residents live in city/metro areas. So, yes, most legislation is designed with city/metro residents in mind.

I agree.
It doesn't matter how much land you have around you. Just because people on the east side choose to spread out more doesn't mean they should get more of a say.
It's still one person, one vote.

[Thom52]

It is not just minimum wage that is a lot less east of the crest.

I have been trying to get a professional level job in engineering, checking it out and trying for the past year. IF I could find something, I would have to take a 30-50% paycut for the privilege of moving my career from the overcrowded Seattle area, to the quieter world of Central Oregon.

its just a premium you pay to get out of the core crowded areas.

There is always a trade off.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I note the big city folks here supporting the Potland democrats riding roughshod on the rest if the state. I think that goes to prove my point. That said, I have been impressed with many of the Potland area dems in the state senate. They seem to try and work much better with their gop couterparts.