Posted on 07/06/2014 7:19:17 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
When Seattle passed their new city council ordinance mandating a staged increase in the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour, many local businesses – as well as observers across the nation – were left shaking their heads. The rules seemed to be unevenly applied, with some businesses having to comply but not others, as well has having a complete disregard for whether or not the job providing entities would be able to remain competitive and survive under the new rules. As Reuters reports, a coalition of business owners are now moving to exercise the power of public support to put the brakes on this thing before it goes off the tracks entirely.
Forward Seattle, which represents restaurants, retailers and other businesses, handed in just under 20,000 signatures to the Seattle City Clerk on Wednesday, more than the 16,510 needed to qualify for the November ballot, said group co-chair Angela Cough.
The proposal would ask Seattle voters to repeal a $15 minimum wage increase that was approved by a unanimous vote of the City Council last month and signed by Mayor Ed Murray. It is scheduled to go into effect over several years.
The move by city leaders marked the first time a major U.S. city has committed to such a high base level of pay. Seattle is among several cities leading the way in a national push by Democrats to raise minimum wages, and the plan in the Pacific Northwest city has drawn criticism from business groups.
Over at The American Thinker, Rick Moran asks a few pointed questions which the city council might want to consider.
Many voters believe all businesses are rich and don’t pay their employees $15 an hour because they’re greedy.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
I want to see Seattle keep the $15 MW. It’s time for the people to see the results of liberal idiocy.
And if Walmart were regulated out of DC, many of these current employees would be earning $0.00 an hour, being total government dependents (food stamps, unemployment “insurance”, “disability” and welfare) and contributing nothing to the economy.
You don’t have to tell me. I was there from 97 until 2006. I watched the very rapid descent into hell.
It’s a shame. I love the state, the PNW, and the people in most of the state (outside the major cities).
Bit I can’t stand the Seassholes, as I called them when I was there.
I will make a point of asking Walmart employees how much they are paid. Actually I believe, the median for Fortune 500 CEOs is below $21,000,000, possibly closer to $10 or $12 million. Google “Forbes CEO Compensation” for more facts.
Don’t know, have been self employed since 1983. My main enemy is my local government.
I’m not sure I understand the concept you are suggesting. Companies like Walmart are already cutting back on hours, which means that families need food stamps to make up for the hours of pay lost.
The problem with Walmart in DC is that they are using their business to force small businesses to fail, then buying up property of those failed businesses and making big real estate money on high rise development. Google “Walmart Realty”, read their mission statement and read between the lines.
For example I drove into the city and stopped at a hair supply store in a one story building across from a new Walmart. I asked if they had been affected by Walmart. They said their business was about the same, but they were furious that whereas before their customers could park in front, run in and pick up an order, now they had to park a block away, because Walmart had arranged to have parking on that side of the street eliminated, and moved across the street to the front of Walmart which already has lots of indoor parking. I then entered and talked with several other businesses and they said the lack of parking was going to destroy their lunch business.
I wasn’t talking about the CEOs on Wall Street. Here’s what I said: The CEO of the world’s largest retailer is making FAR less than many of the people on Wall Street!
Many of the traders on Wall St. pull in more income than the CEOs.
Also... I want to amend what I said about WalMart employees averaging over $15/hour. I believe the figure I read a couple of weeks ago was around $12.81 (which is still considerably higher than minimum wage).
An average of $12.81 includes higher paid managers. I’ve heard that low level workers often make $9 an hour and may work 30 hours or less. That would be $270 a week before FICA, federal and local taxes taken out. There might be places were that is a survivable wage, but not in DC or other urban areas.
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