ADVERTISMENT
Neal Barton's POV
Leave minimum wage alone
16 Comments
POSTED: Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 7:55pm
UPDATED: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 - 11:20am
tyler — A viewer wrote me yesterday to tell me we need to raise the minimum wage like they did in San Francisco.
He said it was a good idea because things cost more now a days and he could use the money.
Well, I have noticed everything cost more now-a-days.
We also had an employee here last week that went up to his supervisor after seeing the San Francisco story and asking when are we going to get a raise up to $10 an hour, said he could use the money.
We could all use some more money, how about you?
But, I told the supervisor who told me about everyone thinking she should just plop down some more money, do they ever realize where this money comes from?
There is no vault in the back where ownership has stacks of $1,000 bills.
Every business, whether it's running a car dealership or Neal's hat shop, there is a business model.
I bet every employer in the world wishes they could pay their folks more if they could. But, they can't!
Economy of scale.
I am not going to speak for this company, but I bet if the state of Texas went to a $10 an hour instead of $7.25 there would be layoffs and cutbacks.
It pains me people don't really understand this. Minimum wage jobs are entry-level.
For most companies, it's a way to get in the front door and make your rookie mistakes on the employers dime.
We hire people here at the TV station for a wage better than minimum wage. It's not a king's ransom, but it's a way to get in the TV business.
And those who find they love the biz are usually promoted to a better paying job or move on to a job somewhere else for more money.
It's the way it is. No matter what some desperate politician tells you. Cash does not grow on trees and life is not fair.
That's my point of view, what's yours?
You can email me at pov@ketknbc.com.
Comments News Comments
The minimum wage needs to be eliminated and a livable wage required by law based on the cost of living.
Texas and Mississippi tie for the most minimum wage jobs in the nation. There are many educated people in Texas working minimum wage jobs and many educated people in Texas in poverty and unemployed. Just go down to the Work Force Solutions office in Tyler and see for yourselves.
Freedom January 10, 2012
at 1:40pm
Setting an minimum wage actually hurts the poor. It eliminates low paying, entry level positions. Since the employer must pay a higher wage, more skills are expected for that level of compensation. The working poor usually have few high-level job skills. So, entry level jobs that require little to no specialization disappear. In the end a few workers become a little less poor, and the rest get welfare.
Not all who get minimum wage can be on welfare, I have worked for it, and was not eligible for any help, because I owned a truck that was paid for, and was 6 years old, plus I was not in the right ethnic group to receive any help.
Oh my - what a compasssionate lot we are! Everyone should get a livable wage for a fair weeks work. And Rollinson, you are the silliest of all the commentators. In several Southern States two years ago, illegals were stopped from working the produce fields. Guess what, the crops rotted on the ground. Americans do not want those kind of jobs. So, be glad you live a wonderful Country and State, and shut up. Also remember that Texas once belonged to Mexico.
rattooey: I started my working career at .40 cents/hour and lunch. Since then I have been able to progress through many jobs and careers. High min. wages make employers want experienced workers and someone in the situation I was in starting out will not be hired if they don't have the experience and knowledge. I have done many of the jobs that illegal aliens now do in the fields; and if they weren't here doing them our teenagers and lower-skilled unemployed would have opportunities to work.
It boils down to education. Nobody says you have to live your entire life on a minimum wage job, unless it's the individual thats says, "I'm too lazy and too worthless to possibly extend my education and make something better of my life and my children's lives because I think the world owes me a living." When the requirement of welfare requires self improvement while being assisted, that is when and only then will welfare work. Why is laziness and lack of motivation a government reward?
In Texas, a single parent making $10.00 an hour qualifies for every welfare program there is. Employers should be paying their employees enough to keep them off of the welfare rolls or pay more in taxes to cover what their employees receive in welfare benefits. Why should tax payers subsadise corporations with welfare for their employees?
You don't get it do you? If minimum wage wasn't so high, $10/hr would be more of a "livable " wage. As Neil said, minimum wage jobs aren't intented as long term career choices, they are intended as entry level positions. As you raise minimum wage you eliminate long term career options.
No you do not get it, why should tax payers subsadise any company or employer who does not pay their employees enough to keep them off of welfare. These companies should be paying more taxes to cover what their employees are receiving in welfare benefits or pay their lowest paid employee enough to keep them off of the welfare roll. Guess you are saying texas has mostly non career related jobs being Texas and Mississippi tie for the most minimum wage jobs in the nation.
Your arguemnet is valid in that corporate and personal tax codes are screwed up and welfare benefits are too liberal and includes too high an income level. But your premise is wrong, minimum wage can never reflect a "livableage" which is a fallacy in itself. Look at it this way, instead of raising minimum wage, just legislate a pay cut for eveyone especially seniors. It's the same thing. But your pro leftist, so you may not understand the concept.
There would be a lot more so-called minimum wage jobs available if we actually enforced our immigration law. The entry-level jobs that were the career starters for so many have now become the first stop for the lowest skilled illegal aliens. Yes, raising the minimum wage would reduce the number of such jobs available while attracting even more illegal aliens.
These people also don't seem to see the harm raising minimum wage does. From creating a short term raise in unemployment for those making minimum wage, raising prices for everyone hurting especially seniors on fixed incomes, cheapening the value of those making just over minimum to those at the new rate and posibly up to 50% over, driving jobs out of state or overseas, and making alternatives such as automated checkouts more attractive. If anythi, minimum wage needs to be lowered.
jpttm - please replace the rock you have in your chest cavity with a HEART. I suspect that you and others remarking on minimum wage are actually professing christians. SHAME ON YOU.
Actually it is a heart. Raising minimum wage hurts the poor and seniors on fixed incomes. It does not help. I believe many of you on the left like you and Don truly care. But you're fixes only add burden to those you care for, not take it away. Rush makes the statement "greed feeds more people than charity". While "greed" inplies something more than he intends, the statement is true and it is not to imply that charity doesn't feed people or is wrong.
Post new Comment
ADVERTISMENT
Special Features
Special Reports
