SF becomes first US city to top $10 minimum wage (useful idiot alert)

Associated Press ^ | 12-12-2011 | Beth Duff-Brown

[RWB Patriot]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- David Frias works two minimum-wage jobs to squeak by in one of the most expensive cities in America.

Come New Year's Day, he'll have a few more coins in his pocket as San Francisco makes history by becoming the first city in the nation to scale a $10 minimum wage. The city's hourly wage for its lowest-paid workers will hit $10.24, more than $2 above the California minimum wage and nearly $3 more than the working wage set by the federal government.

It won't put much more in Frias' wallet. But it gives him a sense of moving on up.

"It's a psychological boost," said Frias, who is a 34-year-old usher at a movie theater and a security guard for a crowd control firm. "It means that I'll have more money in my wallet to pay my bills and money to spend in the city to help the economy."

[RWB Patriot]

Heh, wonder how long it'll take for them to see that the rise in minimum wage and the rise in living expenses are connected.

[ColdOne]

A place I was working at years ago, the minumun wage was going up the next day. The managers where raising the prices on items the day before.

[Traveler59]

Is it possible to track the unemployment rate for just one city?

[RWB Patriot]

Hmm, economic common sense (which isn’t so common): Raise an employer’s costs and he either has to raise prices or lay off workers. It’s reality and it’s inescapable.

[AlexW]

I am a bit confused.
The new minimum apparently applies only to city employees.
How is Frias, working in a movie theater, going to have more money?
Can a local government set minimum wage for a non-government
job?....That would be news to me.

[GeronL]

Just erase more jobs, they are already fleeing the state of Kalipornia and Sodom Fransicko wants to kick them harder.

[Iron Munro]

On the agenda tomorrow:

1. Discussion to determine reasons for exceptionally high unemployment among teens and entry level workers in the city of San Francisco.

2. Report from consultant firm contracted to determine why businesses are leaving San Francisco at a record pace.

3. Selection of members for committee to plan and schedule street party to celebrate rise in minimum wage to highest level in the nation.

[GeronL]

Maybe its a government owned theater.

Don’t think it impossible. Even in Dallas TX there is a city-owned hotel and classic music radio station.

[Clock King]

David Frias needs to start looking for another job ASAP. One or both of his jobs will either lay him off in a couple of months or cut his hours, significantly. I know. I’ve been there,and it’s no fun.

[Signalman]

"It's a psychological boost," said Frias, who is a 34-year-old usher at a movie theater

I wonder how much the theater will be charging for a ticket now.

[AlexW]

“Maybe its a government owned theater.”
_________________________________________

I did consider that, but thought it unlikely.
On the other hand, I guess it could be a gay sex film theater.

[sr4402]

Is it possible to track the unemployment rate for just one city?

Yeah, its a great way to drive up unemployment. Most jobs come from McDonalds these days.

The California 'moonbeam' governor is screaming for higher taxes. If he gets these enacted it will be hard to tell if higher unemployment in SF is due to a higher minimum wage or higher taxes. DOH!

[kidd]

SF becomes first US city to top $10 minimum wage price itself out of the tourism market

[Malone LaVeigh]

It’s a good thing SF loves panhandlers. They’re going to a lot more of them as these minimum wage jobs disappear.

[FormerACLUmember]

Make it $10,000 an hour. That’s about how Pelosi steals on an hourly basis.

[Myrddin]

Can a local government set minimum wage for a non-government job?....That would be news to me.

If they make it a condition of getting a business license, they have a regulatory mechanism to force it.

[AlexW]

“If they make it a condition of getting a business license, they have a regulatory mechanism to force it.”
__________________________________________

That is a good point, but I think it could easily be challenged in court.
Is there any state or local government that can set
minimum wage standards for private businesses?

[Myrddin]

Just about every state has it's own minimum wage laws that are independent of federal law. It generally means the state rate will be higher than the federally mandated minimum. Unless a state has pre-emption laws in place to prevent a county or city from setting a minimum wage, they would also have the ability to demand a value equal or higher than the state prescribed rate. It is very common for cities to impose local sales taxes on top of state sales taxes.

[AlexW]

“Just about every state has it’s own minimum wage laws that are independent of federal law. “
_________________________________________

Well, before leaving the USSA in 2004, there was, and still is no min. wage law in my state of Tennessee, as well as in four other southern states.
In two states it is less then the federal min.
Not having lived in any other state, it seems strange to me,
but I do stand corrected

Yes, I do know that state and local sales tax is levied in probably all states, but that has nothing to do with min. wage.

[Myrddin]

The tax reference was simply to acknowledge the ability of state and local government to exercise power independent of the feds. This is common on a fiscal level, but often issues such has "gun control" are subject to state pre-emption to avoid inconsistency within state boundaries.