Comments on: State senate committee approves minimum wage hike

By: Fed Up

Fed Up — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 23:53:30 +0000

Great, informative article. It makes clear — to me, at least! — that both sides have a case.

By: Bill Gore

Bill Gore — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 21:45:54 +0000

Hey little Joe-remind me not to patronize your ‘business’. You probably have a headcount full of sub-minimum wage illegal aliens, ALL of which are on food stamps, medicaid, etc etc. And you pay them nothing..because you can! I’m the one who is making up the difference with my taxes. I’m all for the laws of economics reigning supreme, but real wages have been stagnant since the ’70’s while the cost of living goes up relentlessly. Much of this thanks to unregulated immigration, egged on by chamber of commerce goons like yourself. So yes, I think the gubmint is right to stick it to you and force your labor costs up. Time to pay your own way man….

By: eck

eck — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 03:56:44 +0000

Economic ignoramuses like Leno shouldn’t be allowed to even run for public office in the first place. He hasn’t a clue.
Secondly, if there’s a SF after your name you’ re obviously an ultra “progressive” (should be regressive).
No one is making the minimum wage dummy. When you factor in food stamps, rent support, medical, etc. and all of the other taxpayer supported welfare, it’s much, much higher. I could go on, but the stupid hurts too much.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 22 Apr 2015 02:28:36 +0000

All those employment numbers the state puts out are fudged and fake. They do that to make themselves look good. If anyone believes these so called employment numbers, you have a major hole in your head in which I can drive my truck through. Of course they are going to say that the last minimum wage hike didn’t cause any problems with employment. Would you expect them to report anything different! To do so would destroy the socialist agenda the Democrats are pushing.

By: Joe Arizona

Joe Arizona — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 20:48:45 +0000

In reply to Bill Gore.

There is no way you own a business as you have no clue about the most basic economics. Wages only exist to, as you say, “find and compensate the best people.” Paying over that level is a good way to become a closed business. You may not like the laws of economics, but they are laws. Learn ’em, love ’em, hate ’em, no matter. They are fixed.

When politicians meddle and try to manipulate basic economics they just create massive and mostly-predictable market responses. You and your ilk are already killing thousands of coveted waiter and barrista jobs as restaurants switch to kiosks and tablets. Nice going, Sparky!

By: queeg

queeg — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 20:40:06 +0000

What unions cannot do the political class oblidges…they are terrified….teaming millions of poor people pouring into the state…..social services and health systems broke and breaking down….envy of gov workers with nice wages and top benefits…..will not end well……particularily, economic growth kaput for owners no longer can control or improvise to save labor costs, energy costs, rents, interest, commodity costs.

What fool does brick and mortar labor intensive business in the future.

By: Bill Gore

Bill Gore — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 14:09:52 +0000

Rock bottom minimum wages are a direct subsidy to businesses and corporations, since their employees are forced into public assistance. NO full time worker, even a burger flipper, should have to be on food stamps, etc.
And for you business owners who hate paying your workers, and think human beings are lucky to be your slaves, I say SCREW YOU! I own a business and I do my utmost to find AND COMPENSATE the best people. If I treat them abusively I expect them to leave ASAP. Minimum wage work is treated by many in the cronyistic ‘business community’ as some kind of character flaw. The truth is millions are stuck in these dead-end jobs because our economy has been LOOTED by business oligarchs and their political cronies!!!! The insane taxes and regulations we all face are used as a barrier to entry to kill the american entrepreneurial spirit!

By: Richard Rider

Richard Rider — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 13:23:44 +0000

The minimum wage proponents engage in static analysis. They are assuming that massive increases in minimum wage (and thus related costs such as unemployment insurance, social security and workers comp) will have little or no effect on employer hiring (and indeed LOCATING or even CONTINUING IN BUSINESS) decisions. And that the non-labor substitution effect (think “robots”) won’t be a factor.

This is a test to see just how dumb most of our state legislators are. I think we know the answer already.

By: Ronald Stein

Ronald Stein — Tue, 21 Apr 2015 12:56:43 +0000

There was a time when the minimum wage was an incentive to get an education to get into job that would pay a wage to support a family. Now, the crusade toward huge increases in the minimum wage to the point that everyone will be getting similar compensation as those on Social Security. The crusade toward entitlement lives on while the incentive to get educated loses.

Numbers don’t lie but liars can figure. Yes, our employment numbers have improved, but those reporting those great numbers don’t bother highlighting that most are in the food service and hospitality sectors. The public focus is diverted to those not making enough on minimum wages, i.e., those in the food service and hospitality sectors, and the crusade is to RAISE the minimum wage! Rather than heal the wounds resulting from constant attacks on businesses that are driving out many high wage positions and driving up the costs for those that remain in California, the easy way out is to apply a “band aid” on the wound rather than heal the wound.

But wait, the unintended consequence associated with the upcoming minimum wage increases will be a great way to incentivize kids to drop out of school. Imagine the carrot of a huge minimum wage of a $25 to 30,000 a year minimum wage as a reward for no higher education. These kids will also be netting more than those on fixed income Social Security. It may be better to stop beating up on businesses with over regulations, over taxation, and uncontrollable “fees” that are slight inconveniences to those making the big bucks, but the California financially challenged will continue to disproportionally pick up the costs “camouflaged” at businesses.