yeah, if your area goes through a oil/gas boom, it will only effect those directly linked to oil/gas... < /sarc>
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/minimum-wage-bottom-line-place-n136491
June 20th 2014
In the heart of North Dakota’s Bakken Formation lies a free-market poster child—a spot where fast-food workers earn multiples of the $7.25 federal minimum hourly wage.
“Our starting wage out there is $11, and that’s just to start,” Jon Munger said about his Williston, North Dakota, Hardee’s franchise. “We’ve got people at $13, $14, $15 at the crew level.” Management positions fetch as much as $20 per hour.
The energy boom isn’t confined just to Williston. Munger feels the ripple effect from North Dakota’s robust economy throughout the state.
Williston is the busiest location of Munger’s 99 Hardee’s restaurants, 10 of which are in North Dakota.
“The difference in Williston is that we’re busy 24/7,” Munger said in a phone interview. “They talk about New York and Vegas never sleeping. Williston never sleeps.”...
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Now being in the boom also means being in the eventual bust, however, watching your “neighbors” gather wealth while your politicians lock up your own resources is tough to watch...
NYC Democrats view upstate New Yorkers as poor white-trash. Gun owning rednecks. Areas such as Binghamton/Elmira/Syracuse are economic basket cases. Have been for decades. They finally have an opportunity to rise up from poverty and the Dimwits in NYC beat them down.