[Vision2020] Update from Rep. Trail

[Donovan Arnold]

Tom and Janesta,

I think an easier and more lasting goal would be to
get the state legislature to allow local city and
county governments the option of raising their area's
minimum wage.

It seems to futile to come up with a dollar amount for
the state that will satisfy the livable wage in all
areas of the state, which it cannot.

Also the number of hours worked, housing
opportunities, and medical coverage can effect what
wage someone can survive with.

Raising minimum wage in and of itself does not always
help the poor. For example, many people are poor
because of housing costs. If you raise the minimum
wage and cause inflation, poor people just end up
paying more in rent, which in turn hurts those on
Social Security and disability who cannot work enough
to make up for the increases. In addition, inflation
requires banks to raise interest rates and tighten
loan restrictions that prevents poorer families from
getting an affordable loan on a house or car.

I am not saying I oppose raising the minimum wage,
because I do not, it should be raised every other
year. I just think that if the goal is to raise the
standard of living for those living at the bottom of
the economic scale, we need to take a more holistic
approach to the problems, issues, and economic
realities of each community, not just expend all our
capital on a one time raising of the minimum wage in
the state of Idaho.

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold




--- Janesta Carcich <janestacarcich at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Representative Trail, 
> 
> I think it admirable that you are asking for a raise
> in Minimum Wages for Idaho workers.
> 
> However, I am curious... Why aren't you asking for
> $7.00 an hour, which would bring us up to par, with
> our neighbouring states?
> 
> I believe it would lesson the need for food stamps,
> and other services provided by the state.
> 
> Respectfully,
> Janesta Carcich
> 
> --- ttrail at moscow.com wrote:
> 
> > Visionaires:    I plan on introducing legislation
> > during the 2006 Idaho
> > Legislative session which would raise the Idaho
> > Minimum Wage from $5.15/hr
> > to $6.15/hr.  The legislation would also tie
> future
> > increases to CPI 
> > adjustments on January 1st of each year.   The
> last
> > time Idaho increased
> > the minimum wage was September 1, 1997.   Idaho
> > normally increases the
> > minimum wage once this has been done at the
> federal
> > level.  However, the
> > Feds have not increased the minimum wage in many
> > years.  Seventeen states
> > have increased the minimum wage since the last
> > Federal increase, and many
> > of these states have added the wage adjustment to
> > the CPI.  Washington and
> > Oregon both have set their minimum wage above
> $7.00.
> >   This obviously is
> > not a living wage but it
> > does at least raise the bar.
> > 
> > There are others in Idaho who are also talking
> about
> > introducing similar
> > legislation or supporting a ballot initiative. 
> > Ballot initiatives in other
> > states have usually been more successful than
> trying
> > to get their
> > legislatures to raise the minimum wage.  I'm
> > committed to work with any
> > group which will try and improve increase wages
> for
> > our workers.  A recent
> > report indicates that about 13% of Idaho citizens
> > are below the poverty level.
> > 
> > 
> > Rep. Tom
> > Trail
> > 
> > ---------------------------------------------
> > This message was sent by First Step Internet.
> >            http://www.fsr.com/
> > 
> > 
> >
>
_____________________________________________________
> >  List services made available by First Step
> > Internet, 
> >  serving the communities of the Palouse since
> 1994. 
> >  
> >                http://www.fsr.net                 
>  
> >    
> >           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> >
>
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
> > 
> 
> 
> 		
> __________________________________ 
> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
> http://mail.yahoo.com
> 
>
_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step
> Internet, 
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. 
>  
>                http://www.fsr.net                   
>    
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
> 


		
__________________________________ 
Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 
http://mail.yahoo.com