LETTERS

Pay a ‘living’ wage

Posted 5/23/13

To the Editor:

If you’re earning less than $12 per hour or less than $25,000 salary, you’re an “economic slave.” The National Poverty is at that level. This means that as long as you’re …

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LETTERS

Pay a ‘living’ wage

Posted

To the Editor:

If you’re earning less than $12 per hour or less than $25,000 salary, you’re an “economic slave.” The National Poverty is at that level. This means that as long as you’re willing to work for the minimum wage of $7.75 or less than $25,000 salary, society is going to take advantage of you. The minimum wage does not provide for food and shelter. The minimum wage produces welfare unemployment, food stamps and heating and electricity recipients. This costs the taxpayers many poorly managed tax dollars.

Change the minimum wage to the living wage of $12 per hour you will decrease welfare recipients, lessen unemployment and decrease food stamps and people struggling with people who are trying to cope with everyday survivals.

This action will save the taxpayer from taxation to stimulate the economy. People now receiving approximately $4 more income to be able to purchase items that they previously could not afford.

If you are willing to work full-time, you’re entitled to a living wage. The federal government and state willing to give a total write off of 30 percent for the additional wages part. Business will have the support of competitive and happier employees.

The state of R.I. will get increased revenue from sales tax earnings.

Society needs people who will maintain clean restroom facilities, cook the hamburgers, keep properties well groomed. If management had to do these jobs, after two weeks they would be willing to pay $16 an hour.

If you perpetuate its minimum wage, you’re just going to add to your taxes. If you support the living wage, you’re going to give hope and income to the underpaid and stimulate the economy.

There are 10,000 of you; that is enough to start an army to abolish the minimum wage atrocity.

Elmer Gardiner

Warwick

Comments

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  • warwick10

    Well said, Mr. Gardiner!

    Thursday, May 23, 2013 Report this

  • JohnStark

    Mr. Gardner, I could not agree more with your comment concerning the "minimum wage atrocity." Indeed, we should do away with the minimum wage completely. Contrary to your contention that full-time workers are "entitled" to a "living wage", workers are entitled to nothing but a wage commensurate with their value in the market place. A willing employer hires a willing employee and pays him/her exactly what that employer deems he/she is worth. The employee can take it or leave it, and government should have no, repeat No role in any of this. Historically, hikes in the minimum wage have led to immediate and sharp increases in unemployment among the very people Mr. Gardiner wishes to help; the low skilled, the young, and the uneducated. The national unemployment rate among this group currently sits at 24%. If you wish to hike that to 35% or so, by all means increase the minimum wage by 50%. However, if you wish to unleash the power of the marketplace and expand opportunities for those most in need, do exactly what Mr. Gardiner inadvertently says: "...abolish the minimum wage" altogether.

    Thursday, May 30, 2013 Report this