[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by Snowprint

You’re worried about golf fees going up? How about, instead of worrying about paying a little more for a worthless leisure activity which, I expect, will not affect you at all, worrying about someone being paid a living wage? How about thinking about someone working a full time job making less than $350 a week before taxes? How does that person pay for shelter, food, clothes, children etc? They aren’t worried about green fees or having their lawn look pretty. Paying someone a living wage isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity for a country that possesses as much wealth as the United States. I, for one, refuse to have any sympathy for someone who’s more worried about the amount they pay for green fees...

Quite a few illogical statements here. First of all not sure the person who wrote it (don't know them) but seems they were not worried about "golf fees", but if they were, isn't that why people move to a place to retire where they can enjoy some simple pleasures ? So, of course the air gun shooters will "worry" about the price of ammo, the golfers the price of golf, and the boaters the price of fuel. Also, "worthless" activities ? Really ? There is a GREAT DEAL of research to refute that, don't need to say any more. I am not a tennis player myself, but that certainly doesn't make it "worthless". Now the important part of this is, if the person who wrote it actually studied economics, and was not writing this out of emotion, then they know that family making $350. a week is going to now get pushed FURTHER down the economic ladder to a much lower quality of life. When every local business ads a penny or two, a dime or two, or a dollar or two to every product, and they will HAVE to or they and their family go down one rung on the scale of economic basic stability. The guy with the wife and four kids who started a lawn care business with himself and his brother ? HOW else will they NOT allow their family to move down one rung, unless they raise their prices to allow them to pay their minimum wage lawn care workers ? And those workers ? A gallon on milk and a some cereal and bananas will now cost them much more than the percentage of the "raise" they received. It's all an illusion, there are no short cuts to making everyone "equal".

To raise real incomes
1. Reinstate the progressive tax rates after WW2
2. Encourage unionization
3. Stop illegal immigration
4. Discourage companies going offshore to cheap foreign labor
5. Encourage one parent to be stay at home
6. Invest social security partly in stocks
7. No cost basic medical emphasizing prevention
8. Encourage learning a trade instead of gender studies in college

It looks to me that the biggest concern to raising the minimum wage is a resulting inflationary offset that negates the income increase and hurts those on a fixed income.

As I and others that are way smarter than I am have pointed out is that stagnant wages don't slow down inflation. When a business raises it's prices year after year but pays their employees the same minimum wage they make more money. This goes on for at least a decade between raising the minimum wage.

The difference between the lowest paid worker and the highest paid employee/owner has grown substantially over the last 70 years when looking at an earlier example I gave. Capitalism is great but there may come a time when the 99% refuses to play the game anymore.

I once saw a picture of a bunch of rich white guys playing a game of monopoly. The table the game was being played on was held up on the backs of black guys on their knees. The caption on the picture read "all we have to do is stand up".

The rich need to remember that the money and power they have can be taken away. Play the game with some compassion for the people or the game ends.

[Northwoods]

Originally Posted by LianneMigiano

My son left CT in JAN earning $22 hr. (after 30 years in the business). He is now working here for $13 hr. doing the same thing he did up north. His experience apparently counts for NOTHING. All this also being at one of the top rated companies to work for in The Villages!!!!!

I have a friend (professional with 4-year degree) who moved down here and took a significant hit on their salary. I think a part of it is that FL doesn't have a state income tax so salaries are lower. I will say that it appears that jobs pay less in FL vs. "northern" states.

[Kenswing]

Originally Posted by Northwoods

I have a friend (professional with 4-year degree) who moved down here and took a significant hit on their salary. I think a part of it is that FL doesn't have a state income tax so salaries are lower. I will say that it appears that jobs pay less in FL vs. "northern" states.

We currently live in WA. which is also a no income tax state. My wife is a nurse. She will be taking an almost 50% cut in pay when we move to The Villages..

[Marty94]

Originally Posted by Dana1963

Your son should have enlisted and went to OCS if qualifies as an officer 01 pay grade is over $5100 monthly.

He would gladly serve, but does not medically qualify.

[Gulfcoast]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

All true points, but the worst of all will be the TRUE minimum wage people (not retired people, teens, and others only working for "extras" in their lives) whose wages will be raised to $15 per hour, they are the real losers in this. Others will some how be able to absorb it, but this will only push that class of workers even further down and out of the lower end of the "middle class". It's a shame, a healthy thriving country is one that EXPANDS the "middle class". It will hurt everyone a little, it will hurt the lowest paid among us the hardest. It's sad. I did notice an extremely wealthy Florida resident, one who has pushed so many "progressive" ideas about drug legalization, and others was a powerful force behind this. It was obviously the desire of the majority of Floridians, so, I guess those of us who think it will do more damage than good will just have to wait and see !

I share your concerns about this wage increase and I think you are right - the workers who are supporting themselves and their families on a minimum wage income are going to be hurt the worst by this even if it seems, at first, that the wage increase would be a great thing for them. I think people voted for this increase without really considering (or perhaps understanding) the economic consequences of doing so.

[jimbomaybe]

Originally Posted by petiteone

We already pay 25 for a pizza. If everyone made a living wage we'd have lower taxes and fewer people on welfare.

So raise the minimum wage to $30. an hour and we will be in economic heaven

[ruralgoddess]

Originally Posted by Art cov

If one is worth $15 or $20 an hour, most businesses would gladly pay the wage if a person is worth it. A good worker is hard to find. Hard to find those who will show up and hustle. I would much rather pay $15 or $20 then $10. Try hiring 10 people and see how long they will last. The fact is those that are not worth $15 an hour will be out of a job. I have paid employees $20 an hour, but those folks would do 3 times as much work in a week then the lazy ones. The market will pay what a person is worth and if they think that they should be paid more then go find that job. Employers are tired of lazy people who can’t get on the job, or full of drama, and find every excuse to not work. Pay them what their worth and if their not worth it, let them go.

While $15 may seem exorbitant to some, consider what that means for someone working a 40 hour week:

40 hours x $15 = $600/week before withholding

So your monthly gross income would be
$2400 before withholding.

Think long and hard about that meagre amount.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by village dreamer

yes it would be nice if everyone could make $15 per hour , but. will you pay $3 for a donut,$20 for pizza. i dont know where this is going to go. can a small shop pay $15?? you all know who pays the $15.... we will. how about all the grass cutters , gate keepers,all the golf course people. all our fees will go up.

It will be given in increments until the full $15 is reached in 2026. Whats the big deal? I doubt your pizza will go to $20 or a donut to $3. What you will see is any benefits being given to workers will be discontinued. During the last raise, Publix cut way down on full time workers and just hired more part timers. No benefits had to be given then and the customer n business didnt suffer.

[Girlcopper]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

$15 an hour X 40 hours a week X 50 weeks a year (allowing a two week vacation) = 2000 hours of work per year for $30,000.

$30,000 a year is approximately what I get from Social Security without working. I also have retirement savings. A lot of people in The Villages live on that, or less, but if they do, there’s a good chance they have no mortgage or a small one, and they have Medicare, which is a huge help.

Workers making $30,000 a year pay little to no Federal Income Tax but do pay the Social Security Tax. Workers making $30,000 a year don’t qualify for Medicaid but may qualify for assistance for buying health insurance. They probably no longer qualify for food stamps, or whatever it is called these days. They may no longer qualify for some other government aid that offsets every penny they pay in taxes. They are probably paying a third of their salary in rent. Most of what they don’t spend on rent and utilities goes to buying things. Their buying things keeps the rest of the country producing things to buy. If they make half as much, they buy a lot less.

A family with two workers making $30,000 a year each can afford to buy a house, maybe a small car, be more comfortable. Maybe they get health insurance. They can pay their bills. They pay income tax. They are no longer taking from the government without giving, but are productive, proud, and have a level of freedom from want they don’t have on $30,000 a year, much less less than that. They can do that with high school diplomas, or even without them if they are each earning $15 an hour. Instead of all of us paying, by way of the government, to keep them alive, they too become taxpayers.

I think that is fantastic! What happens sometimes now is that businesses hire people for a wage so low that we the government have to make up the difference. Why should employers get a free ride that way? Wouldn’t you much rather pay for those employees by paying slightly more for products and services than by paying more tax so they can receive more government handouts? A good living wage encourages people to work and lets more people enjoy the fruits of the American Dream we like to talk about. It’s part of making America great for ALL people.

OMG. That took awhile to read and longer to write. Basicly, who cares? If you feel prices of things will now be too high, dont buy it, stay home, cook all your own meals, do your own repairs. If it wasnt announced, you wouldnt even know what minimum wage went to and wouldnt think twice about it

[biker1]

Only 2% of hourly workers are at minimum wage. Of that 2%, about half are between the ages of 16 and 24. Of that 2%, about 30% are working full-time (40 hours) or more. Minimum wage jobs are mostly held by younger people who are starting their careers and working part time.

Minimum wage jobs are primarily entry level jobs and, as such, represent the beginning of a career. Most people don't stay at those low pay jobs for very long; they move up quickly.

A CBO study estimates that changing the Federal minimum wage to $15 per hour in 2025 would increase the wages of about 17 million people but 1.3 million would become jobless. There are consequences, perhaps many unintended consequences, when the Government decides what labor is worth as opposed to letting free market dynamics establish the worth of labor.

Originally Posted by ruralgoddess

While $15 may seem exorbitant to some, consider what that means for someone working a 40 hour week:

40 hours x $15 = $600/week before withholding

So your monthly gross income would be
$2400 before withholding.

Think long and hard about that meagre amount.

[mydavid]

Originally Posted by village dreamer

yes it would be nice if everyone could make $15 per hour , but. will you pay $3 for a donut,$20 for pizza. I dont know where this is going to go. can a small shop pay $15?? you all know who pays the $15.... we will. how about all the grass cutters , gate keepers,all the golf course people. all our fees will go up.

A lot of discontent with China these days, and this is the reason, Americans want cheep products and at the same time chant "Buy American" Can't have it both ways, An American Co. makes a iPhone cup holder that cost three times more then others afford that do the same function, which do you choose

[loweglor]

Originally Posted by village dreamer

yes it would be nice if everyone could make $15 per hour , but. will you pay $3 for a donut,$20 for pizza. i dont know where this is going to go. can a small shop pay $15?? you all know who pays the $15.... we will. how about all the grass cutters , gate keepers,all the golf course people. all our fees will go up.

So here is the problem. Some People just don't want to pay for some people to earn a living wage. We have a system that creates wealth for some at the expense of many. What a shame that as a society we haven't evolved enough to change that.

[Jazzman]

Originally Posted by village dreamer

yes it would be nice if everyone could make $15 per hour , but. will you pay $3 for a donut,$20 for pizza. i dont know where this is going to go. can a small shop pay $15?? you all know who pays the $15.... we will. how about all the grass cutters , gate keepers,all the golf course people. all our fees will go up.

Florida is a service based economy. IMO it’s fair to expect that employees be paid a higher hourly rate so that they remain with an employer and minimize job hopping. Job hopping results in the employer now having to find a replacement, train that person, etc. The higher wage scenario and job hopping has been happening behind the scene, even here. For example, a service worker here who I know left his employer here in the villages to go work at Target in Lady Lake. The reason, four more dollars per hour and benefits. Yes it will affect small business but here it will be a gradual increase through 2026.