{"id":3055,"date":"2019-01-31T14:13:58","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T19:13:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.musingsbymichael.com\/blog\/?p=3055"},"modified":"2019-01-31T14:13:58","modified_gmt":"2019-01-31T19:13:58","slug":"so-called-living-wage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.musingsbymichael.com\/blog\/2019\/01\/31\/so-called-living-wage\/","title":{"rendered":"So called ‘Living Wage’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Living<\/a><\/p>\n

Murphy, Sweeney and Coughlin all think that a so called ‘Living Wage\u201d of $15.00 is good for the people of New Jersey. Well here are some facts and my opinion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now this is the minimum wage<\/a>– \u201c$8.85 per hour, which translates to $18,408.00 a year if work a 40 hour week. And for those who get tipped, serving staff, the minimum wage is $2.13 per hour.<\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What the bill<\/a> would do is this, \u201cUnder the bill, the minimum wage for most workers would increase to $10 an hour on July 1, to $11 on Jan. 1, 2020, $12 an hour on Jan. 1, 2021, $13 in 2022, $14 in 2023 and $15 in 2024. Seasonal workers and workers at business that employ five or fewer employees won\u2019t reach $15 an hour until 2026. Farm workers will hit $12.50 in 2024, after which it would be left up to state officials in the executive branch whether to keep going to $15 an hour by 2027.<\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So what we are talking about is a immediate raise of $1.15 per hour, which would mean an additional $2392.00 for someone who works a 40 hour week. Not exactly a small amount, but then would these workers still be working a 40 hour week? Most likely not and they may be even out of a job as robotic and computer technology becomes economically worthwhile.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a look at the checkout lines the next time you are at Target or Walmart or your local grocery store and you will see multiple electronic self checkout lanes that only require one person to oversee them. Or go to your local national fast food <\/span> chain<\/span> and you will see that you no longer talk to a human to order, but select from an electronic menu and then you also pay there. So two jobs have been eliminated and those are the ones that you see. There are computerized hamburger making machines<\/a> and even more machines to replace the humans that have traditionally have been doing these jobs are under development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our legislators are going all out for this so called ‘Living Wage’ and yet the business community is against it. Why, well they<\/a>, the \u201cBusiness owners testified<\/a> before an Assembly committee last week that the increased payroll costs will be forced them to raise prices, reduce employee hours, cut employee benefits or let employees go.<\/i>\u201d So it seems that those who need to work for a living, especially those on the lower end of the pay spectrum, will face the possible loss of their jobs or working less hours. Not even the raising of the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour will help them then.<\/span><\/p>\n

From the Sacramento Bee<\/a>, \u201cas pointed out in a recent opinion piece published by the Orange County Register<\/a>, the “dramatic” increase to $15 has forced some small businesses out of the Golden State. Small-business jobs are leaving, and the residents go with them.<\/i>\u201d Furthermore \u201cAbout 60 percent of those polled by the Bay Area Council said they think an economic downturn is coming to the region within the next five years.<\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So the grand experiment is not working in California and I for one do not understand why the progressive liberals think that they have all the answers, when it is very obvious to everyone except them that their agenda is unrealistic.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just so you know the three named in the beginning of this post are Murphy who is our governor, Sweeney the senate president and Coughlin is the assembly leader.<\/span><\/p>\n

That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike<\/span><\/p>\n