My No On Measure R Letter
I didn't even have to check the Times- Standard to see if they published my letter opposing Measure R. It showed up this morning on my No On Measure R Facebook (actually, Measure R Vote NO) page feed:
Measure R is bad medicine for Eureka's economy
Raising Eureka's minimum wage to $12 an hour is a bad idea.
The state just raised the minimum wage to $10 July 1 and will raise it again next year to $11. When the minimum wage is raised, that's the way to do it: gradually, so everyone can adjust to it. Measure R raises it too high, too fast.
Measure R also makes Eureka less appealing to businesses. What kind of message does it send when Eureka mandates a higher starting wage than elsewhere?
What kind of people do we want to attract to Eureka? Business owners and professionals, or those seeking minimum wage jobs? We want business owners and professionals. I'd be willing to wager most of Eureka's minimum wage workers also want businesses moving here, not other minimum wage workers competing for their jobs.
Let the state raise the minimum wage when needed as has already been done. Let's not put Eureka at a disadvantage by making it harder for businesses. Vote NO on Measure R.
Matt Owen also had his No On R piece published on the Lost Coast Outpost yesterday.
posted by Fred Mangels @ 7:27 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
SO you expect a large increase in people moving here for these high wage jobs and that is your reason for opposing measure R? Makes sense, lol.
Actually, back during the days of the Humboldt Herald blog, that was inadvertently given as a reason to raise the minimum wage. They gave some example of some place near Seattle that raised the minimum wage way up. They quoted some newspaper article that had a fast food joint owner saying applicants were lining up outside the door after the minimum wage increase.
I pointed out that's not exactly a plus to most people. No one from the Humboldt Herald argued with me over that.
That was not the point I was trying to make, though. The point is we need to attract businesses to this depressed area. There will always be minimum wage workers, but you need businesses to hire them. Making the area more attractive to minimum wage workers does nothing to bring more business to the area.
Things like Measure R are more likely to have businesses thinking about setting up anywhere but Eureka.
Fred, minimum wage went up from 8 to 9 dollars an hour in July. In January of 2016 it goes up to 10 dollars. You have your facts wrong.
If as you said, it was going to be only 1 dollar different from the state and only months away, raising the wage would have little affect on the local economy. I'm not here to make your argument for you because I support raising it to $15.00 per hour. However, I respect your opinions and wanted you to be armed with the facts as I am.
Thanks. I was wondering about that as I thought I took it off some state web site. Then just recently I heard your figure. Oh, well. My argument stands, regardless.
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