will the $15/hr min wage make jobs harder to come by? (Seattle: landscaping, construction)

[Ira500]

Originally Posted by DanG05200

We Can Predict The Effects Of Seattle's $15 An Hour Minimum Wage - Forbes

Opinions are like butt holes- everybody's got one. We don't know what's going to happen because this hasn't been done before. We can predict the effects, but we can't know how accurate those predictions are until the 15 dollar an hour law goes into effect. It seems likely to me that restaurant prices will go up, there's no doubt about that one. It also seems to me that for non restaurant jobs/manufacturing/things like housekeeping jobs/, businesses will relocate to outside of the city limits. So there should be more hiring outside of the city limits.
Will hordes of people come to Seattle looking for 15 dollar per hour jobs? Maybe.

[krieger00]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Opinions are like butt holes- everybody's got one. We don't know what's going to happen because this hasn't been done before. We can predict the effects, but we can't know how accurate those predictions are until the 15 dollar an hour law goes into effect. It seems likely to me that restaurant prices will go up, there's no doubt about that one. It also seems to me that for non restaurant jobs/manufacturing/things like housekeeping jobs/, businesses will relocate to outside of the city limits. So there should be more hiring outside of the city limits.
Will hordes of people come to Seattle looking for 15 dollar per hour jobs? Maybe.

I am willing to bet there is going to be some under the table hiring . For example if a bar only need a guy/girl for a few days a week like a Friday Saturday night thing it would be smarter to pay them under the table .

[sean98125]

Originally Posted by krieger00

Yea but what job is more of benefit to society overall a good school teacher is .

Undoubedtly, which is why they can make something approaching a full-time wage on a less than full-time schedule. I'd love to give every teacher a 25% pay increase and have school in session year round, but that's pretty expensive.

[PrincessoftheCape]

Originally Posted by DanG05200

We Can Predict The Effects Of Seattle's $15 An Hour Minimum Wage - Forbes

There's nothing new or surprising in that article. Keep in mind, the people pushing this policy fall into one of two categories:

• They are immensely stupid (the majority).
• This is only the first step on their crusade to overturn capitalism, so they don't give a damn about the ancillary effects (and, in most cases, they view these effects as only aiding their cause).

When you're dealing morons and zealots, there's very little wiggle room. One group lacks the capacity to learn, and the other the will. The good news, however, is that even dumb people can still feel pain. So, even though Sawant will never change her tune, there's the distinct possibility that as her zombie army begins to experience natural attrition, they will turn on her.

It's my hope that, within 3 or 4 years time, the $15 wages will see the mayor and the entire city council banished from public life for their role in this insanity. I do not, however, expect the policy itself to ever be reversed. Seattle will bear this cross until such time (many, many years from now) that the rest of the country's minimum wages catch up.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by PrincessoftheCape

The very fact that you posted would seem to imply a degree of butthurt on your part.

If you had a countdown set for how long you have before you lose your job, and that countdown was set by politicians, lets see how "butt hurt" you'd feel. I do indeed feel butt hurt because I'VE JUST BEEN SCREWED.

Victorian, I'd encourage you to take a look at western NC. It's pretty nice there in the mountains, and stays decently cool(ish) most summers. It's also one of those increasingly rare places where you can find a decent 3-bedroom house for under 200k. Hard to argue with cost of living like that. I agree with your general point, however, and loved the photo.

Charlotte isn't too bad. I've been there once and it's a place I could probably transfer to. The weather is actually not too crazy and the people are nice and it's a booming city. It also has a cost of living WAAAAYYY cheaper than Seattle:http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living...=Seattle%2C+WA


...that, and this would NEVER happen in the south. I could see the locals now:
"Raise the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour? Well look here, I sure would hate to have to use my shotgun, because we just cleaned that floor. But if you keep talking that nonsense..."

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by GoBlueInSeattle

That is just crazy talk. Restaurants are not going to flee Seattle. Raise prices? Maybe. Leave from the market that provides foot traffic & disposable income? Not a chance.

Ever been to Vancouver, WA? It doesn't have much in the way of restaurants and retail because people just take the bridge to Portland where they can save 6% because of the lack of sales tax. If people will take a bridge to Portland to save 6%, what's gonna stop people from taking a bridge to Bellevue to save 30%?

And for that matter, if I'm ordering pizza delivery in North Seattle and I could order from a pizza parlor in North Seattle or Shoreline, with the Shoreline pizza costing 30% less, which one am I gonna order?

And for that matter how the hell is any restaurant within a thirty block radius of the Shoreline or Tukwila border supposed to survive with the same food at MUCH lower prices just a quick ride away?

The more one stops and thinks about this the dumber it sounds.

I'm sure some owners will ***** & moan, but watch how many actually do. Owners always B&M. They are like the people who threatened to move to Canada if Bush was re-elected.

I'm not an owner. I'm just a floor manager. And I am going to lose my job in a year after this starts, I guarantee. I have no choice but to move. But at least I have a year to prepare, for which I'm very grateful.

[victorianpunk]

Originally Posted by PrincessoftheCape

There's nothing new or surprising in that article. Keep in mind, the people pushing this policy fall into one of two categories:

• They are immensely stupid (the majority).
• This is only the first step on their crusade to overturn capitalism, so they don't give a damn about the ancillary effects (and, in most cases, they view these effects as only aiding their cause).

When you're dealing morons and zealots, there's very little wiggle room. One group lacks the capacity to learn, and the other the will. The good news, however, is that even dumb people can still feel pain. So, even though Sawant will never change her tune, there's the distinct possibility that as her zombie army begins to experience natural attrition, they will turn on her.

It's my hope that, within 3 or 4 years time, the $15 wages will see the mayor and the entire city council banished from public life for their role in this insanity. I do not, however, expect the policy itself to ever be reversed. Seattle will bear this cross until such time (many, many years from now) that the rest of the country's minimum wages catch up.

I agree. And there is one thing no one is considering: just as the new minimum wage takes effect Seattle will have its first district city council elections. You can be guaranteed that with the hipster vote quarantined to Capitol Hill's district three, we will see different kinds of people getting elected, especially in district 1 (West Seattle and the south west) 2 (south East Seattle) and 5 (north Seattle)
Seattle City Council Districts

Hell, we may even *gasp!* see a Republican get elected to the city council.

But I think Sawant's flying monkeys will remain loyal to their dear leader. They're suppose to be having celebration parties for 15Now next week...I wonder if they're going to be serving kool-aid?

[krieger00]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

I agree. And there is one thing no one is considering: just as the new minimum wage takes effect Seattle will have its first district city council elections. You can be guaranteed that with the hipster vote quarantined to Capitol Hill's district three, we will see different kinds of people getting elected, especially in district 1 (West Seattle and the south west) 2 (south East Seattle) and 5 (north Seattle)
Seattle City Council Districts

Hell, we may even *gasp!* see a Republican get elected to the city council.

But I think Sawant's flying monkeys will remain loyal to their dear leader. They're suppose to be having celebration parties for 15Now next week...I wonder if they're going to be serving kool-aid?

Tell me about I am too busy trying to improve myself to worry about C word Sawant's wants to do. Seattle is going to get what it deserves if it works we will see. I all ready know most business owners are going to let people go or cut hours jack up prices. On top of that rent is going to to go up . Do you think for a minute a slumlord will not jack up rent come on .

I do wonder what they will cry about next? It going to be rent control or something equally stupid.

I am no longer going to shop in Seattle or tip anyone I say everyone do the same.

I do wonder if company's that have other locations let's say one in south center area if they can hire a person to work at the south center store but part time and make them drive to the Seattle store to get more hours at the same pay as the south center let's say pays 9.50 an hour would they only get the 9.50 and not the 15 an hour?

There are going to ways around this I am willing to bet.

[sean98125]

I think rent control is probably next on their list of things to do, krieger00. http://seattletransitblog.com/2013/1...-rent-control/

The way the law is written, a person working in Seattle has to get paid the city's minimum wage regardless of where their home office is. Northwest Security, which is based in Shoreline, would have to pay their guards $15 a hour if they are working on the south side of 145th but not the north side.

[Inkpoe]

VPunk clearly doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to Vancouver. Sales tax is @ 8.4% (State is @ 6.5, Vancouver cannot be any less). Retail and restaurant is actually popping up more in the 'couve. So what's stopping a lot of those people from going over those bridges? Simple: Traffic.

It'll work out the same here as well. It'll work itself out to some places closing, and those left standing raising their prices and losing some staff (and hiring more under the table). Those living on the edge of town so benefit with easy access to the more affordable options, but the rest will eat up the cost of their beloved urban living. I don't believe the City Council/Office will get a Republican anytime soon, I mean, look at San Francisco, it's like here they haven't had a Republican mayor in how long? As long as traffic sucks in Seattle, Seattle Proper will be mostly fine. It's destined to be a playground for the ultra-rich anyway, this only helps hasten it.

I think those who are sitting there saying they won't tip are being absurd. Those waitresses may be earning $15/hr, but the odds are they're not getting the hours they need. And if you can't be bothered to tip, then you shouldn't eat out.