[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry3911948

translation they have gone into the private sector, the burger biz and told the franchise owners by law that they must pay at least 10 an hour. did not tell them how they will make a profit or how they will not go under bek of it, just do it. the burger biz, you know the business people, the people that generate tax revenue. they now tell you who to hire who to fire and how much you can pay them.
the end of american business and our source of wealth.

Give me a friggin break. Do you know what a sub $10/hr. workforce creates?

It creates a drain on middle class people like myself, who pay the state higher taxes so that they can provide "social services" to these employees.

I'll gladly pay a higher price for product(s) to a private sector merchant, if it results in the government taking less of a bite out of my paycheck.

Think about it.

[HeadedWest]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

I'll gladly pay a higher price for product(s) to a private sector merchant, if it results in the government taking less of a bite out of my paycheck.

I'd make that tradeoff, too, but the government will never take less of a bite. Always more.

[CTbrooktrout]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Give me a friggin break. Do you know what a sub $10/hr. workforce creates?

It creates a drain on middle class people like myself, who pay the state higher taxes so that they can provide "social services" to these employees.

I'll gladly pay a higher price for product(s) to a private sector merchant, if it results in the government taking less of a bite out of my paycheck.

Think about it.

It may vary year to year and term to term but overall I'm pretty sure the long term tax trend has been on the increase and will continue to be so.

Think about this. The poor eat at these burger joints so as their costs go up, so will government subsidies. I'm not for letting people starve but if you increase the cost of food, you're still going to be paying to help support them.

The drain on the middle class will need to be solved by education and retraining of the workforce. But this will take many years to notice and reap the benefits from.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by CTbrooktrout

It may vary year to year and term to term but overall I'm pretty sure the long term tax trend has been on the increase and will continue to be so.

Think about this. The poor eat at these burger joints so as their costs go up, so will government subsidies. I'm not for letting people starve but if you increase the cost of food, you're still going to be paying to help support them.

The drain on the middle class will need to be solved by education and retraining of the workforce. But this will take many years to notice and reap the benefits from.

It is sort of circle but think about the fact that minimum wage has not gone up in a long time and compared to where it was 40 years ago, it is way lower today when adjusted for inflation. I think you would find it impossible to live on $8.00 an hour. It is time to raise it whether businesses like it or not. Businesses in general are coming out of the recession way ahead of the middle and working class. It is time for a correction already. Jay

[MrGompers]

I was in the supermarket a couple days ago and they had a sign that said "now hiring part time associates $8.70 per hour" which also happens to be the current minimum wage. It rises to $9.15 on Jan 1st.

I don't have a problem with the sign at least they told the salary upfront, but what strikes me is -
I made $8.00 an hour in 1987 @ Pizza Hut while in high school. (I was a cook so no tips)

A lot of my friends also made similar wages at Mcdonalds, Roy Rogers, D'angelo's, and Taco Bell (to name a few) Also, in the case of D'angelo's & Taco Bell they offered full or partial tuition reimbursement for college. Two of my friends actually received it, so it wasn't a gimmick.

Hard to believe wages for low level positions have only risen .70 cents in 28 years.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by MrGompers

I was in the supermarket a couple days ago and they had a sign that said "now hiring part time associates $8.70 per hour" which also happens to be the current minimum wage. It rises to $9.15 on Jan 1st.

I don't have a problem with the sign at least they told the salary upfront, but what strikes me is -
I made $8.00 an hour in 1987 @ Pizza Hut while in high school. (I was a cook so no tips)

A lot of my friends also made similar wages at Mcdonalds, Roy Rogers, D'angelo's, and Taco Bell (to name a few) Also, in the case of D'angelo's & Taco Bell they offered full or partial tuition reimbursement for college. Two of my friends actually received it, so it wasn't a gimmick.

Hard to believe wages for low level positions have only risen .70 cents in 28 years.

That is my point. It is long overdue. Jay

[7 Wishes]

Originally Posted by JayCT

That is my point. It is long overdue. Jay

I once read somewhere that weighted for inflation, the minimum wage "maxed out" in 1968 and would be something close to $20/hour in today's dollars!

Sadly, I think what is going to happen over the next decade or two is we may not see the Federal min wage go up at all and states that rightfully feel it is long overdue will take it into their own hands. Then other states will keep it at the Federal level thinking it gives them an "advantage" in drawing business in and we'll have internal version of the "race to the bottom" we've had the last 3 decades with China and India.....

[Lalalally]

Originally Posted by 7 Wishes

I once read somewhere that weighted for inflation, the minimum wage "maxed out" in 1968 and would be something close to $20/hour in today's dollars!

Sadly, I think what is going to happen over the next decade or two is we may not see the Federal min wage go up at all and states that rightfully feel it is long overdue will take it into their own hands. Then other states will keep it at the Federal level thinking it gives them an "advantage" in drawing business in and we'll have internal version of the "race to the bottom" we've had the last 3 decades with China and India.....

It was 1968 that it peaked in value, but in today's dollars it would equal $10.86, not $20 ($1.60 in 1968 is the equivalent of $10.86 in 2014). It seems that we're trending in that direction, which is fair. Would be interesting to find out the percentage of people receiving government assistance in 1968 vs. today too.

[basehead617]

I don't understand why minimum wage hasn't always been tied to some kind of adjustment, whether inflation or CPI or whatever. The amount could be adjusted but letting it sit flat until there's more legislation seems an odd choice.

[MrGompers]

Originally Posted by basehead617

I don't understand why minimum wage hasn't always been tied to some kind of adjustment, whether inflation or CPI or whatever. The amount could be adjusted but letting it sit flat until there's more legislation seems an odd choice.

I think it should be tied to the cost of living somehow. Just include the basic costs of housing, food, clothes, and transportation. The transportation I would define as bus or train transport, not privately owned vehicles.

I think unemployment income compensation is determined by the "prevailing median wage" of your area. Perhaps look into that methodology for ideas, but this $8.70 or $9.15 or even $10.10 min wage is a joke. I don't see how anyone can survive on that.

We can also propose something more radical like a "guaranteed minimum income" For example, if the minimum COL for a single person in this area is $25,000 per year and they only make $21,000 per year we top them off with $4,000 to make up the difference. It should be handed out monthly so they are not tempted to spend it all at once. This idea also has the added benefit of eliminating govt agencies and employees as well since we won't need food stamp, housing, or TANF programs to be reviewed.

Sooner or later something has to change. That change can be peaceful or violent, but it will change.