Posted on 01/13/2006 2:53:45 PM PST by calcowgirl
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed legislation that would raise the minimum wage by a dollar over the next two years, though his proposal lacks a mechanism to keep wages in step with rising prices.
The new bill (SB 1167), introduced by State Senator Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria), would raise the minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.25 starting in September 2006. A second bump to $7.75 would take effect in July 2007.
Last September, Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation (AB 48) for an identical wage hike that included automatic annual increases to keep pace with inflation. In his veto message, the governor cited the already high costs of doing business in California.
A few weeks later, voters overwhelmingly rejected the governor's ambitious plans to redefine California's government by appointing judges to draw political boundaries, capping government spending and limiting the power of unions.
In his state of the state speech last week, Schwarzenegger rolled out a sweeping $222-billion plan to upgrade the state's infrastructure - everything from levees to schools to highways - that many observers view as a pre-election bid to woo disgruntled voters.
Schwarzenegger suggested in a statement, however, that his turnaround on the wage issue related to the economy rather than his recent political defeat.
"When I ran for governor, I said that we could not afford an increase in the minimum wage unless the economy bounced back," he said. "Well, the economy has bounced back, so it is now time for those who often work the hardest and earn the least to benefit from California's growth."
Assemblyman Sim-n Salinas (D-Salinas) supported the prior wage bill and predicted debate on the governor's latest proposal would center on the "indexing issue," referring to the idea that a dollar pay increase should include a mechanism that pegs wages to the increasing cost of goods and services.
"I think that's going to be the whole discussion," Salinas said. "Certainly, if I supported the one with indexing, I'll support this one. If I was the recipient, I'd rather get a dollar than nothing."
To read a copy of the bill, visit www.leginfo.ca.gov.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1182.12 is added to the Labor Code, to read: 1182.12. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, on and after September 1, 2006, the minimum wage for all industries shall not be less than seven dollars and twenty-five cents ($7.25) per hour, and on and after July 1, 2007, the minimum wage for all industries shall not be less than seven dollars and seventy-five cents ($7.75) per hour. SEC. 2. This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are: California's lowest paid workers urgently require an increase in their wages as soon as possible in order to keep up with the rapidly increasing cost of living. It is therefore necessary that this act take effect immediately.
Net effect: zero.
How stupid. Every time the min wage is raised, the price of everything we buy is raised to equal or trump it. Any savings we have is then worth less and less.
Poor planning if anyone reviews the economic demography of just who pays state income taxes in California. It's not the minimum wage folks. If fees (which includes gas taxes) and consumption tax resources are analyzed, his proposal might have a positive impact on the fantastic budgeting he envisions.
Time will tell.
Now I know that freepers disagree on just about everything imaginable, but is there anyone on this site who actually thinks raising the minimum wage accomplishes anything at all on behalf of the poor?
Nope. Arnold is pissed that he lost the election last year, so he is running Left. This is why I never voted for him. He is an opportunist, and will shift with the political winds in order to make some "successes".
Sorry, that excuse doesn't work. Before the election, he made his support for a minimum wage increase known. It had nothing to do with the election and everything to do with his lack of fiscal conservatism and economic savvy. (Go Here)
INFLATION... The cruelest tax of all!!!
INFLATION... The tax that Arnold supports!!!
RINO INDUCED INFLATION... Not worthy of support by anyone!!!
One more in a long series of Arnold blunders.
This is BLASTPHEMY to Republicans of any shade, let alone Conservatives!!!
Only those damned New England leftist screamin Liberal Repellicans would ever profer "The Minimum Wage," let alone an increase in one!!!
But you already knew all this and simply misspoke, right? (grin)
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