Posted on 01/24/2007 2:40:11 PM PST by JCRoberts
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- In the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress, the House passed a minimum wage bill that raises the federal minimum from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour and the Senate may follow suit this week, to the dismay of some small business owners.
As a result of the new law, experts say that many small firms could be forced to raise prices, cut jobs or slash the hours of the low-wage workers.
Video More video
The House signs off on boosting the minimum wage by $2.10 over two years. CNN's Andrea Koppel reports (January 11) Play video
However, the impact of increased payroll costs will be somewhat limited since 23 states have already enacted statutes boosting their minimum-wage rates above the current federal rate. Eight states even have minimum-wage rates at or above the proposed rate of $7.25.
And in some states, where the job market in the area is already constricted, small businesses are already paying employees far more than the Federal minimum, even as much as $10 an hour.
"Most of the time we pay at least a dollar more (than the minimum)," said Juanita Lovezzola, owner of Lovezzola's Pizza Family Restaurant in Pooler, Georgia, where the state's minimum-wage rate is still $5.15 an hour.
Lovezzola said that she's not really worried about the new legislation. "It's hard to get help in this area," Lovezzola explained, and "if you pay a person good, they are going to stay."
(Excerpt) Read more at money.cnn.com ...
Where was CNN when this was being debated two weeks ago?
Why did CNN choose a pizza parlor in Pool, GA (pop. 6k)?
An artificial price increase to P+td (the minimum wage) will result in a reduction in the quantity demanded (reduced employment) from Q2 to Q1. The Deadweight Loss will be shared between employers (upper triangle) and employees (lower triangle) accordingly. In other words, EVERYONE LOSES.
For more information, take Econ 101. In the mean time, quitcherbitchen.
$2.00 short and half a day late. The senate killed it today.
Maybe they've got REALLY good pizza?;)
Even if a minimum wage made sense, which it doesn't, a national minimum wage would still not make sense because of differing price levels throughout the country.
Only an absolute idiot(read Democrat) could possibly think that the government can wave a magic wand and actually bring about some ideal and we can all live happily ever after. It is easy to pick some minimum wage worker and show how his life is SEEMINGLY improved by mandated wage increase. I say "seemingly" because will never know what he would have done if he had to somehow improve himself to get more pay. Not so easy to show all the destruction caused by same act of Congress.
With a name like Lovezzola, if you can't sell pizza, hang it up! :) I bet they do have good pizza...
They do!
I checked it out while on business in Savannah last April. ; )
"It's not my problem/concern that these businesses are undercapitalized".
It's 100% unadulterated political pandering.
Mr. Krabs will be forced to fire Spongebob.
It's not just the min. wage that goes up. Thimk. All other wages go up along with it. Many journeyman wages are pegged to the min. Go up automaticly. Depending on union etc.
Why don't you just move to another city somewhere else? America's a big place. There are places here that are still nice, but are probably a lot more business friendly :)
Oh I am perfectly happy here, great job, nice home, excellent school for the kids. I would not stay here IF I were starting a small business, I agree with you there.
It's almost impossible to believe there is anyone who does not know that government cannot set prices and wages without distorting the free market.
Democrats want to raise the minimum wage because they are well aware of this fact. Raising the minimum wage will raise the cost of everything and deny young and unskilled people an opportunity to work. It happens every time.
Yes, I heard this earlier. Thanks for pointing that out!
Dems care much more about perceptions than reality and are perfectly willing to cause suffering in their pursuit of power. The untold numbers of dead Iraqis that would result if we pulled out now doesn't matter to them at all - wage increase just has minor drawbacks in comparison.
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