I believe in small businesses and support the little guy when I can.
About 20 years ago I started my first job. I made $5.50 an hour! If memory serves me correctly within a year I was making $7.50 an hour. It was your basic crap job but I worked hard. To know after those 20 years went by, prices rising, there are people still out there making less than $7.50 and hour is hard to believe.
I like to read the opinion pages. I like to get a feel for what people are thinking. Everyone has their own opinions and beliefs - some of them are in line with mine and others are way off the mark. This afternoon I was reading the South Bend Tribune and came across this one:
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/News01/702010409&SearchID=73270860848472I will quote the opinion and my response will not be quotes.
"As owners and operators of a restaurant in Mishawaka, we want to express our concern about the proposed raising of the minimum wage in Indiana. Although it sounds nice, this will only hurt the people employed by us who it is supposed to help."
Please, please, bring out the crystal ball.
"All of our full-time employees who are not students already make at least $7 per hour, most of them more than that."
Thank you. Grandma says it really helps defray the cost of the new Medicare/prescription plan.
"The only ones the proposed wage increase would benefit would be our 15-, 16- and 17-year-old employees."
Isn't that like age descrimination? Is that why Grandma can't work the after school, weekend hours? Because you would have to pay her over $7 an hour but you can descriminate against her Grandson by paying him $5.50?
"Supply and demand and competition already force us and similar businesses to pay our daytime help, those not limited to working around school hours, more than those working nights and weekends. "
Darn School, if it wasn't for those darn schools, you could get away with hiring teenagers and pay them less. BAN THE SCHOOLS!
"However, if we are forced to pay the 15-, 16- and 17-year-olds a substantially higher wage we will have to make up for the expense in other ways. Most likely restaurants and stores will have to raise prices. Those daytime, adult workers already making the proposed minimum wage will now have to spend more of their income for the same things. A second option employers have is to take away other benefits, including health care coverage. Employers may have to get by with fewer employees by cutting hours or eliminating some positions altogether." I could have a good deal of fun ripping this one, however.... I decided to let Google do my handy work. All public info.
The writer owns a Franchise in which the website states the owner needs 300k to 500k in liquid assets. Starting up one of these franchises has an estimated cost of 175k. Using the Google Earth I see a nice house in a nice area. Someone is living high on the hog while Grandma and Grandson try to scrounge up some money to offset the price of medicine or college costs! But since "Business Owner" does not want to adjust their way of life to pay someone $1 or $2 more per hour (over the course of the next few years) "Business Owner" will make Grandma do twice the work, take away her health care, FIRE her and then to fill your fat pockets, you will raise your prices.
Coincidentally, I do not believe this franchise offers Health Care. Judging by the amount of employees, I would say that the business would not run very well if they used fewer employees or positions.
Lawmakers need to look at the effect this will have on small businesses and their workforce.I will agree. Lawmakers should look at the whole picture. Take how much the business makes, minus cost and salaries and figure out how much business owners are making (non-business items such as a new car..etc not included in cost). If the business is really having a hardship, then great, we will give you a tax break. But if you are living high on the hog while breaking Grandma's back, can we just tax you more?
Hey, Making Money, that's the American way... but now it seems to be leaning a bit too much towards business owners and less towards workers. Have past increases to the minimum wage hurt? Does anyone not think that $5.50 an hour is REDICULOUS?!?!?
Just had to vent.... Let's give those less fortunate some assistance.
Dapper