LA City Council approves minimum wage increase (Los Angeles, San Francisco: middle-class, 2015)

[majoun]

As if there was any more proof of the LA city council being out of touch ideologues who were oblivious to the city's economic needs.

L.A. seeks to raise minimum wage sharply to $15 an hour - MarketWatch

This will mean fewer jobs, fewer small businesses (minority owned businesses will especially be hurt), more large chains (which have more resources and which will not be affected as much), even less productive economic activity, and higher prices for everything and anything.

Meanwhile the other cities of L.A. County will be happy to have those businesses. Glendale has been approaching Silver Lake and Echo Park businesses to relocate already - this will increase the appeal of their city over the sinking ship that is the city of Los Angeles.

[mysticaltyger]

This will do nothing to address the real reason why it's hard to make ends meet in places like Los Angeles. IT'S THE LACK OF HOUSING SUPPLY THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

Why Middle-Class Americans Can’t Afford to Live in Liberal Cities | AgainstCronyCapitalism.org

[ihatedcu]

Wage increase will punish the poor, the very people these laws were meant to help. These guys will be competing with higher educated workforce.

Higher wages will drive out the uneducated and bring better qualified people into the city. A win, win situation in my book.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by mysticaltyger

This will do nothing to address the real reason why it's hard to make ends meet in places like Los Angeles. IT'S THE LACK OF HOUSING SUPPLY THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

Why Middle-Class Americans Can’t Afford to Live in Liberal Cities | AgainstCronyCapitalism.org

Exactly.

[JamesInDC]

Personally, I feel if the minimum wage is increased across the country, wages for ALL workers will eventually go up. Wages for all workers has been stagnant for decades now.

[genjy]

This means fewer jobs in the City of Los Angeles as small businesses move out to other cities in LA County.

[RaymondChandlerLives]

We shouldn't be raising the minimum wage, we should be lowering it. Who needs purchasing power in an expensive city like Los Angeles anyway? Pay em with food, I say.

Protect "teh job creators"! Give them room to create!

[majoun]

Originally Posted by RaymondChandlerLives

We shouldn't be raising the minimum wage, we should be lowering it. Who needs purchasing power in an expensive city like Los Angeles anyway? Pay em with food, I say.

Protect "teh job creators"! Give them room to create!

No room for job creators in the city of Los Angeles, unless they're pals of the City Council. Isn't job creation illegal along with everything else in L.A.?

Meanwhile, the saner municipalities of L.A. County, as well as the other counties in SoCal, welcome them with open arms.

[hipcat]

Originally Posted by majoun

As if there was any more proof of the LA city council being out of touch ideologues who were oblivious to the city's economic needs.

L.A. seeks to raise minimum wage sharply to $15 an hour - MarketWatch

This will mean fewer jobs, fewer small businesses (minority owned businesses will especially be hurt), more large chains (which have more resources and which will not be affected as much), even less productive economic activity, and higher prices for everything and anything.

Meanwhile the other cities of L.A. County will be happy to have those businesses. Glendale has been approaching Silver Lake and Echo Park businesses to relocate already - this will increase the appeal of their city over the sinking ship that is the city of Los Angeles.

All that means in my view. Is that a lot more workers will be paid under the table as it has been in the last 10 or so years.

[jm1982]

This is what we have to look forward to in L.A ..

S.F. minimum wage increase pushes shops to the brink - San Francisco Chronicle

Article from that right wing news outlet the SF Chronicle.

The issue is that most people don't understand the profit margins of small businesses.

When you buy a sandwich for $7 for example , very little of that money actually is profit for the owner.

If you take away a bunch of the owners already small profit then they have no incentive to stay in business.

I bet the same people that are so happy for the $15 wage won't be so happy when they see longtime businesses closing up because of the wage hike or when they have to pay more money because the owner has no choice but to raise prices.

I'm already seeing higher prices on food in L.A . I remember Zankou chicken used to be pretty affordable , but now the plates are about $12 or so. That's just one recent example.

I'm guessing they will probably be $15 or $16 when the new higher wages come into effect.