Not that I am against people working and making money, but this state is LAST IN THE NATION as far as the state wide economy goes, and we can't afford this crap.  And it's happening because the republicans are afraid of election year politics.

Link


Minimum wage might rise
Friday, March 10, 2006
PAUL WYCHE
THE SAGINAW NEWS

Burger flippers, sales clerks and others who scrape by on minimum wage have hope.

Michigan workers will receive a raise of $1.80 an hour in October -- boosting their salaries to $6.95 an hour under legislation the state Senate passed unanimously Thursday.

The pay will rise gradually to $7.40 an hour by July 2008. The House next week likely will approve the plan, and Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm said she'll sign it.

Rite Aid cashier Ok Fairbanks said she is glad to hear it.

"That's wonderful," said Fairbanks, who has worked at the pharmacy at West Genesee and North Michigan for nearly four years.

"It's about time (lawmakers) did something. This is great; now I just have to wait for the raise."

Just last month, unions and other activists throughout the state launched the Michigan Needs a Raise coalition, aimed at increasing the hourly wage to $6.85.

They got a dime more than they lobbied for, but some critics of the boost say it has more to do with politics than creating a fair wage.

The Michigan Needs campaign would have united thousands of Democrats, possibly driving up the number of voters at the polls in November -- a scenario Republicans fear. So, upping the minimum wage before the fall election made political sense to the GOP.

Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, a Wyoming Republican, said as much.
"It's a factor in the decision making," he said, referring to the Michigan Needs effort. "There's no question about it."

Gary Fahndrich, chairman of the Independent Business Association of Saginaw County and owner of West Side Decorating Center Inc., 3505 State in Saginaw, said there are two sides to the minimum wage debate.

"I understand it from both standpoints," he said.

"On the one hand, people say it's long overdue, but for the businessman it's going to be another expense that will probably have to get passed on to the consumer."

Some business groups long opposed to minimum-wage hikes reluctantly supported the Senate's action, arguing that it is better than the ballot proposal. But they aren't happy about it.

"We understand that (Republicans) are trying to make a bad situation better," said Charles Owens, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

Rob Fowler, head of the Small Business Association of Michigan, said, however, that his group remained "unalterably opposed to a mandated minimum-wage increase." He said raising wage costs for small employers makes it more expensive to offer entry-level jobs to low-skilled workers.

Even so, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now -- ACORN -- said it will continue fighting for low income individuals. The group plans to establish an office in Saginaw next month. It has branches in Lansing, Detroit and Flint.

"We are happy about the minimum wage, but there are a lot of other issues here, like vacant houses," said Jarone Nash, head organizer for the reform group, which has a temporary office at the Service Employees International Union building, 1420 S. Michigan in Saginaw.

"The minimum wage increase is good, though, because it's been nine years since we've had it raised, but we still have a lot of hard-working people living below the poverty line."

Michigan's $5.15-per-hour minimum wage is the same as the federal government's. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have higher minimum wages.

"We have repeatedly called for an increase in the state's minimum wage, and (now) we are one step closer to raising the wages paid to tens of thousands of workers in this state," Granholm said.

"It's a simple matter of fairness -- anyone who puts in a fair day's work should receive a fair day's pay."

Paul Wyche covers business for The Saginaw News. You may reach him at 776-9674. The Saginaw News Lansing Bureau contributed to this report.

Chintzy bastards. Why not an even 15?

Good! Now someone should be able to afford to buy my fucking house!!!

We live in a broke state...They need the tax dollars.  

Go Go Granholm...she needs to be elected again. No surprise.

Quoted: Good! Now someone should be able to afford to buy my fucking house!!!

Steve, where is the home?

Raising minimum wage is a joke, its obvious the people that propse raising it dont know shit about economics.

Raising minimum wage will not eliminate poverty. There is no wage that you can arbitrarily pay someone that will eliminate poverty. All it means is that everything else will become more expensive.

I am constantly amazed at how people do not understand the minimum wage.

Increasing the minimum wage eliminates jobs and increases the number of people living in poverty.  Business owners don't have unlimited supplies of money to pay their workers, when the min. wage goes up the minimum wage workers don't magically become more productive.  Therefore some of them lose their jobs and consumers have to pay more for the same products.

Glad I don't live in Michigan.

I wonder how the business owners will find a way to pay for a 34% percent increase in labor costs in one day.  

Quoted: I am constantly amazed at how people do not understand the minimum wage. Increasing the minimum wage eliminates jobs and increases the number of people living in poverty.  Business owners don't have unlimited supplies of money to pay their workers, when the min. wage goes up the minimum wage workers don't magically become more productive.  Therefore some of them lose their jobs and consumers have to pay more for the same products. Glad I don't live in Michigan.

That's exactly the thing.  This was passed by REPUBLICAN State Senators who are afraid of a large turnout of Dems on election day because of a "Hike the Minimum Wage" petition and pressure from our Canadian Governor.  We'll see what the house does, but if it passes the house, it will happen.

I wonder if I'll get a 35% raise this year?

Quoted: ... I wonder if I'll get a 35% raise this year?

I wouldn't.

Even if it came with 35% inflation.

Wise choice. You guys might have wanted to stay away from our special sauce tonight. Me and Pookie, we added a secret ingredient. I'll give you a hint. It's semen.

Good grief.  

Seeya tonight.

Quoted: Wise choice. You guys might have wanted to stay away from our special sauce tonight. Me and Pookie, we added a secret ingredient. I'll give you a hint. It's semen.

Quoted:

Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.



You get what you pay for.

Quoted: I wonder how the business owners will find a way to pay for a 34% percent increase in labor costs in one day.

By eliminating 34%50% of the work force and replacing them with illegal aliens "off the books".

Oregon is 7.50 an hour already!  Doesn't  solve anybodys finacial problems.
And the cost of bread and milk just go's up proportionally.
Minumim wage has gone up twice in two years.  Everyone kicks their feet and crys for
a while and then go back to work!

Jb

This sort of crap pisses me off.  I was asked to sign the petition that was going around at my community college and I declined.  This just going to make it harder for me to find a job when I go to school next fall.  I wish these people were smart enough to realize that they will help absolutely no one, and it will more than likely harm more people than retaining the original min. wage would.

Why is it so hard for people to understand basic economics?

Quoted: Why is it so hard for people to understand basic economics?

Don't eat out much, do ya?

They'll raise the minimum wage and then wonder why unemployment -- especially amongst inner city kids goes up.

Duh, the value of their labor is < the minimum wage => no job.  Which means no OJT, no raises as their productivity rises, and therefore no future.

Minimum wage is a political boondoggle.   It's a floor on the price of labor and like EVERY other price floor (or cap for that matter) it doesn't work.

Moron politicians.....sheesh.

- CD

Quoted: Quoted: Good! Now someone should be able to afford to buy my fucking house!!! Steve, where is the home?

Common and Schoenner in Warren. I'll give you a good deal!