[Vision2020] Update from Rep. Trail
Donovan Arnold
donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com
Sun Sep 18 21:17:56 PDT 2005
Janesta,
We are not disagreeing on much. However, I think you
are mistaken if you think that the conservative Idaho
legislature would be more willing to increase the
minimum wage than the Moscow City Council or Latah
County Commissioners. Most of the local officials I
have talked to about raising minimum wage, like Linda
Pall and John Dickinson, are all the more than willing
to do so.
I also believe that the state legislature would be
more willing to give local control of the government
to people than to mandate that businesses, that pay
their re-election costs, pay higher wages.
Your argument against local governments controlling
minimum wages seems to be centered on the notion that
local business leaders would be the ones making the
decisions, not locally elected politicians that are
voted in by a population that votes 65% Democrat in
the city and 50% Democrat in the county. I admit that
Jack Nelson and Paul Kimmell would be harder to
convience to raise the wage than Linda Pall and Nancy
Chaney. However, they are more open to it the idea
than Lt. Governor Risch and Rep. Newcomb, I guarantee
it.
You are right that section 8 housing is based on
income. But there are thousands of people in Moscow
living in HUD subsidized housing and their rent will
go up without compensation. You will also move people
making $800-$900 a month into the $950-1100 range
kicking them off food stamps, which is $300 a month,
reducing their overall income to $150 less a month.
This is of course not counting kicking them into a
higher federal tax bracket and taking their kids off
CHIP. We need to think about this before just passing
laws without looking at the entire picture.
I believe that people are poor because they do not
have their basic physical needs fulfilled, not just
because they are getting a arbitrary amount of money.
for their work decided on by a group of politicians.
I know of people that quit their jobs to work at lower
paying jobs because they get better medical and child
care benefits, which in the end, lifts them more out
of poverty.
You also have to ask, where is the money coming from
to pay these higher wages? A local business with 5
employees would have to come up with $20,000 more a
year in profits or take the loss themselves. If you
are a local mom and pop shop owner making $30-$40K,
can you afford the $20K in extra expenses out of your
pocket? What if you are a business couple making
$40,000 a year with 10 employees? Are you willing to
work harder for nothing, or shut down unemploying 10
people, and try to find a job yourself, any would pay
more than $0 a year?
The problem I think, is far more complicated than just
raising the minimum wage. If raising the minimum wage
solved all problems for the poor, why is that we have
not elminated poverty having raised it so many times
in past?
I am for raising the minimum wage to prevent
exploitation of greedy business men. But I am at the
same time against putting honest ones out of business.
I think we have to be realistic about what raising the
wages will do, and what it will not do. I also think
that solving poverty and meeting the needs of the poor
is more complicated than just forcing businesses to
pay their workers more.
I hope you too have a pleasant evening Janesta and
please keep up the invaluable work that you are doing
for those with a disability. They are very fortunate
to have you fighting for them.
Take Care,
Donovan J Arnold
--- Janesta Carcich <janestacarcich at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Donavan,
>
> Section 8 housing is figured on income, so disabled,
> retired, those on SSI, or SSD would not be affected,
> or is it effected... anyway, one of you English
> wizards correct me, please? *soft laugh* I think it
> is
> affected. Anyway....
>
> I believe a low minimum wage, keeps people poor.
> Period. At this time, there are families with both
> bread winners working 1 1/2 to 2 jobs each at a
> paltry
> minimum wage. It doesn't make much for a strong
> family
> unit with BOTH parents working a full time job and a
> part time job just to make ends barely meet. A
> higher
> paying job would allow a family to spend more time
> together in the younger years of a child's life...
> Forming a tight bond for those later, sometimes
> challenging teen years.
>
> If the minimum wage were chosen by county, Latah
> would
> be at the bottom of the list. *DUH* Moscow has an
> endless supply of energetic students willing to work
> for nearly zippo while going to school. Both student
> and employer knowing they won't stay forever. Some
> employers in Moscow take advantage of this and keep
> wages low.
>
> Have a lovely evening,
>
> Janesta Carcich
>
> --- Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> > 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/
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
_____________________________________________________
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>
> >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
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>
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