Not that I am against people working and making money, but Michigan is last in the nation in terms of statewide economics and we can't afford this.  This is only happening because the republicans are afraid of election year politics.



Quote:

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.

The state of Michigan is broke, and Granholm thinks this is going to bring in more tax dollars.  She just wants to get elected again.  

Raising the minimum wage is a joke.  It's obvious the people that propose raising it dont know a thing about economics.  This 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.  The only results of this decision are increased inflation and the exodus of blue collar jobs here in Michigan.

Business owners don't have unlimited supplies of money to pay their workers, and when the minimum wage goes up the affected workers don't magically become more productive. Therefore, the manufacturer will either have to make more money by raising prices or spend less money by eliminating jobs, cutting back on hours, moving to another state, outsourcing, or closing altogether.

-b0b
(...thinks he should run for Senator.)

Shit like this is why I hate MI.

Come to Colorado, beautiful scenic mountain view Colorado.....come!

If you get me a job in my field with a comparable salary (adjusted for local cost of living) and I'll be on a plane in two weeks.

-b0b
(...is only sorta kidding.)

b0b If I had your experience I'd be fucking rich.  You know how many military jobs out here want 3-4 years of Networking Experience?  Fucking Space Command is hiring almost 24-7.....and no I'm not kidding.

Check out colorado springs jobs...I can't remember the website but if you Google it it's pretty easy to find.  In fact I think it might be www.springsjobs.com.

But yeah, this place is pretty pimp for that sort of thing.  Intel and MCI (Or some sort) are headquartered here.

Plus its SOOOO much better than Michigan....and if your looking for Church related activites just check out New Life Church.....like 40 billion members, they have shit going on 24-7....and I'm not kidding there.  And the World Prayer Center there is pretty nice too.

not alot of animation jobs out there... sadness

Do they need any cops out there?!

X

Yeah the police station is always looking for cops....and fire fighters, seems we get a lot of forest fires and stuff up in the mountains.  My friend works at the dispatch center and he tells me they are always bringing in newbie cops and training them there heh.

The cost of living here is pretty good too.  The size apartment me and b0b had in Chicago would only be 500 or so here, not 900....and you can get 2 bedroom houses with a garage (I looked into it) for around 800 if you have good credit.

I just hope you guys move away from MI in the future....sometimes I wonder if you guys realize how much of a shit hole that place really is :)

If there's one thing you don't have to worry about Wes...I how much of a heck hole I know MI is...esp. TR.  BTW, looking for any roommates coming up?  He he.  Wouldn't it be great to get the geek crew back together and living together!  Yikes!

X

Me and Ben just signed our 6 month lease Friday actually, so I'm kinda set in that legally :)

But the 1 bedrooms and flats here in my apartment complex are like 400 or something (1 bedrooms are usually only slightly less than 2 bedrooms....hence the reason so many people have roomates heh).  We could LAN it up again!

I don't think the world could handle all the geeks reuniting though....we might do something insane.

Hmm, im definetly going to have to look into that area. We went through Colorado Springs and Denver on our trip out west a while back, nice places.

Aye, I'm of the opinion that its one of the most beautiful places you could live in the US.

I mean I wake up to go to work at 8, walk outside and I see clouds rolling down the sides of the mountains, and Pikes Peak soaring above the tops.  Quite inspiring really.

That was almost poetic.





...I smell a roadtrip!

Wes, you forgot to mention that you have the Stargate program in your own back yard!

Shelnock Cree!

X

I die free! - Jaffa Death Oath

You guys are nerds.



...Comtraya!!!

Seriously, I would be affected by this legislation since I currently make 6.50 at K-mart(bob represent!)  I do know that there should be a low minimum wage in order to keep prices low but damn.  One 5 hour shift of me working is bearly enough to pay for the gas I put in my car.  If I work 3 days a week with 5 hour shifts part time, it takes me over one day of work to cover the cost of my gas for the two weeks until my next check comes.

Stop crying and get a more fuel effecient car nublet.

Quote:

Burger flippers

I think bob just added that one to laugh at me.  j/k

I do agree that it seems like the raise of minimal wage will just lead to inflation.  If people believe they aren't making enough money in their lives, they should do something about it.  

I use to make 5.35 an hour at McDonalds, and I hated it.  SO I did something about it.  I worked hard for months and got my self promoted.  

The entire point I'm getting at is people should make what their worth.  Burger Flippers should only have 5 or 6 an hour, because thats all the job is worth.  I would never tell my co-workers, but most of them aren't worth anything in life.  I would hate to make a career out of fast food or low paying jobs like that.  Most people in places like that (not nessessary high school students) don't aspire to be more in life, and they should only get paid for what their worth.


~ComputerJuvenile