I'm not economics expert, so can someone help me out here?

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

what does that have to do with anything? aren't we talking about the effect of the min wage increase?

Allow me to elaborate:

You suggest that min wage increased do not influence inflation. You point to states where min wage is already increased to levels higher than the fed min wage standard. Now, if you really think high min wage doesn't influence inflation, perhaps you should look at relative costs of living (a good standard of inflation, no?) in those areas that have higher min wage?

I assure you, it is not cheap to live in Boston or any surrounding areas. Cost of living up here and taxes are sky high.

In conclusion, how can you honestly say that higher min wages do not influence inflation when the cost of living is so high in areas where min wages are in fact higher? What of the cost of living across the US was like that of a big city?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

I don't really buy that. It would be a 25% increase of those workers earning min wage. That doesn't include management or anyone else working there that earns a salary or significantly over min wage. You are probably looking at an overall increase in operating costs of less than 1% for the entire store.

Increase of 1% operating costs? I assure you it's far more than that. $2 an hour for every employee is quite a large undertaking. Especially when you're only paying them $5.15 as is. $2 an hour on top of $5.15 an hour is far more than the 25% payroll I suggested for my business. I used the number 25% because when minimum wage was 5.15 an hour, but we always paid more, now our payroll has changed dramatically. I took two weeks of payroll during a slow time of year and compared.. The difference in admissions for the two months was negligible (less than a couple hundred. We actually did more people 2 years ago).

$14150 two years ago before the increase and $19500 now. We never paid people minimum wage, so we didn't see as much of a jump as we should. Now obviously there's inflation and the like, but not that much. These numbers are payroll figures for Oct 04 and Oct 06. Minimum wage increased to 7.15 in Sept

That's a rather large increase I would say. It's about $5500 a month we have to cover. Now we operate on about a 10% profit. The math is easy to figure out how much more we have to sell every month to absorb this hit.

It's not as simple as saying $2 an hour per employee, no big deal somebody is rich behidn the business and they'll just eat it. Quite the contrary. Our ticket prices have gone up about $1.75 - 2.50 in the past 2 years as well as increased prices on concessions ($0.50 - 0.75) per item. On top of all this, we're no longer as profitable as we once were, but can't raise prices any higher.

[6SpeedTA95]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Increase of 1% operating costs? I assure you it's far more than that. $2 an hour for every employee is quite a large undertaking. Especially when you're only paying them $5.15 as is. $2 an hour on top of $5.15 an hour is far more than the 25% payroll I suggested for my business. I used the number 25% because when minimum wage was 5.15 an hour, but we always paid more, now our payroll has changed dramatically. I took two weeks of payroll during a slow time of year and compared.. The difference in admissions for the two months was negligible (less than a couple hundred. We actually did more people 2 years ago).

$14150 two years ago before the increase and $19500 now. We never paid people minimum wage, so we didn't see as much of a jump as we should. Now obviously there's inflation and the like, but not that much. These numbers are payroll figures for Oct 04 and Oct 06. Minimum wage increased to 7.15 in Sept

That's a rather large increase I would say. It's about $5500 a month we have to cover. Now we operate on about a 10% profit. The math is easy to figure out how much more we have to sell every month to absorb this hit.

It's not as simple as saying $2 an hour per employee, no big deal somebody is rich behidn the business and they'll just eat it. Quite the contrary. Our ticket prices have gone up about $1.75 - 2.50 in the past 2 years as well as increased prices on concessions ($0.50 - 0.75) per item. On top of all this, we're no longer as profitable as we once were, but can't raise prices any higher.

I think it would depend totally on the business in question.

Wal Mart for example might experience a minor jump in payroll but overall cost increases would probably be 1% or LESS. The same can be said for many other companies simply because most folks dont make min wage. Yes there are a few businesses that would be affected more than others, yours being a small family owned business would be one of them. You guys have one or two locations? You also probably employ people at close to min wage and for good reason, people are willing to work for it. I'd also imagine that you're one of only two or three managers which further exacerbates the min wage issue in your circumstance.

Then there's companies like mine we will not be affected directly via payroll because we don't have anyone working min wage.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

I think it would depend totally on the business in question.

Wal Mart for example might experience a minor jump in payroll but overall cost increases would probably be 1% or LESS. The same can be said for many other companies simply because most folks dont make min wage. Yes there are a few businesses that would be affected more than others, yours being a small family owned business would be one of them. You guys have one or two locations? You also probably employ people at close to min wage and for good reason, people are willing to work for it. I'd also imagine that you're one of only two or three managers which further exacerbates the min wage issue in your circumstance.

Then there's companies like mine we will not be affected directly via payroll because we don't have anyone working min wage.

This is a smaller business than my previous employer, however, we're not a small operation by any means. And this business carries this town. There's a homewares store, a supermarket and our theater. We are the only theater in the entire county and one of two entertainment places to go (small bowling alley 15 miles away).

Hurting our business is very bad for this town and all the businesses we help keep afloat.

Your corporation can absorb the impact because nobody is affected. Not every business who employs minimum wage workers are Walmart. Most minimum wage earners work for smaller companies that would be affected.

[Pro Street]

I can't even explain this because none of you are listening.


I can holler all day and say x causes y but there is no direct correlation between the two.

and you don't address the fact that

1) median income has increased
2) cost of living has increased
3) inflation has increased

so in other words, while everything has been getting more expensive, the pay has remained the same.

that means since that time there has been a profit differential between those that are paid a salary and those paid minimum wage. sure, we can hold back the minmum wage, and just let inflation and CoL continue to rise. Let's let that happen until those jobs pay so low that nobody takes them.

Then what happens? oh, that's right they need to raise the wages. eventually to... gasp... the new minimum wage (or roughly, we'll never know)

so what will you say then? will you bitch that businesses should underpay people to keep inflation down?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Pro Street

so what will you say then? will you bitch that businesses should underpay people to keep inflation down?

You don't believe there are jobs worth less than $7.25 an hour and you feel it should be illegal to pay under such wages?

A 14 year old kid collecting carts from a parking lot needs a raise?

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by JaJae

You don't believe there are jobs worth less than $7.25 an hour and you feel it should be illegal to pay under such wages?

A 14 year old kid collecting carts from a parking lot needs a raise?

Walmart greeters, retirees that want to continue working for fun, definitely need more.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by JaJae

You don't believe there are jobs worth less than $7.25 an hour and you feel it should be illegal to pay under such wages?

A 14 year old kid collecting carts from a parking lot needs a raise?

I think he needs a raise a lot more than most people

As opposed to someone who spends most of their time on business "conferences/meetings" on tropical islands or playing golf getting another raise so he can guy his spoiled daughter a second BMW

[WickedLou9]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Allow me to elaborate:

You suggest that min wage increased do not influence inflation. You point to states where min wage is already increased to levels higher than the fed min wage standard. Now, if you really think high min wage doesn't influence inflation, perhaps you should look at relative costs of living (a good standard of inflation, no?) in those areas that have higher min wage?

I assure you, it is not cheap to live in Boston or any surrounding areas. Cost of living up here and taxes are sky high.

In conclusion, how can you honestly say that higher min wages do not influence inflation when the cost of living is so high in areas where min wages are in fact higher? What of the cost of living across the US was like that of a big city?

Your explanation is flawed. The min wage is higher in those states BECAUSE the cost of living is higher. The min wage did not cause the increase in cost of living, it's a result of the cost of living.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Walmart greeters, retirees that want to continue working for fun, definitely need more.

You are so out of touch, I have no idea how it happened you really need to write a book about it

What elderly person would POSSIBLY want to go work at wal-mart for fun...is that what people in your family do...go out and work for 45 years and then go to wal-mart?

They don't want to go on a cruise, or travel the world...no, they want to spend their spare time working at Wal-mart

Is that what Donald Trump is going to do when he retires from business, work as a greeter at wal-mart?

I can't think of what is more , this or how you and your white friends call each other "niggers"

[WickedLou9]

Originally Posted by JaJae

Increase of 1% operating costs? I assure you it's far more than that. $2 an hour for every employee is quite a large undertaking. Especially when you're only paying them $5.15 as is. $2 an hour on top of $5.15 an hour is far more than the 25% payroll I suggested for my business. I used the number 25% because when minimum wage was 5.15 an hour, but we always paid more, now our payroll has changed dramatically. I took two weeks of payroll during a slow time of year and compared.. The difference in admissions for the two months was negligible (less than a couple hundred. We actually did more people 2 years ago).

$14150 two years ago before the increase and $19500 now. We never paid people minimum wage, so we didn't see as much of a jump as we should. Now obviously there's inflation and the like, but not that much. These numbers are payroll figures for Oct 04 and Oct 06. Minimum wage increased to 7.15 in Sept

That's a rather large increase I would say. It's about $5500 a month we have to cover. Now we operate on about a 10% profit. The math is easy to figure out how much more we have to sell every month to absorb this hit.

It's not as simple as saying $2 an hour per employee, no big deal somebody is rich behidn the business and they'll just eat it. Quite the contrary. Our ticket prices have gone up about $1.75 - 2.50 in the past 2 years as well as increased prices on concessions ($0.50 - 0.75) per item. On top of all this, we're no longer as profitable as we once were, but can't raise prices any higher.

You are fudging the numbers to make your point. You can't look only at a small fraction of the total expenditures and say that your costs went up 25%. The costs went up 25% but only if you are only looking at wages, and of those wages, only if you look at those people earning min wage. What was overall operating cost? What portion of that was wages? What is the overall effect on the business? It's a lot smaller than the opponents of the min wage increase would have you believe.

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

You are so out of touch, I have no idea how it happened you really need to write a book about it

What elderly person would POSSIBLY want to go work at wal-mart for fun...is that what people in your family do...go out and work for 45 years and then go to wal-mart?

Uh, many retired persons in Florida (and there are plenty) work part-time jobs, not because they have, but because they get bored. They travel, they have fun, they enjoy life, but who travels 365 days of the year? They do all the things you mention, and they also work part-time jobs at Walmart, Publix, and elsewhere, because they enjoy it.

And you know what? I'll likely do the same thing. I'll likely teach part-time at a community college or small unviersity after I'm retired, not because I have to, but because I want to.

The problem is not that I'm out of touch, but in fact understand how people might actually ENJOY working, getting out of the house, giving back to the community, etc. Who in fact is out of touch?

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Your explanation is flawed. The min wage is higher in those states BECAUSE the cost of living is higher. The min wage did not cause the increase in cost of living, it's a result of the cost of living.

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

Uh, many retired persons in Florida (and there are plenty) work part-time jobs, not because they have, but because they get bored. They travel, they have fun, they enjoy life, but who travels 365 days of the year? They do all the things you mention, and they also work part-time jobs at Walmart, Publix, and elsewhere, because they enjoy it.

And you know what? I'll likely do the same thing. I'll likely teach part-time at a community college or small unviersity after I'm retired, not because I have to, but because I want to.

The problem is not that I'm out of touch, but in fact understand how people might actually ENJOY working, getting out of the house, giving back to the community, etc. Who in fact is out of touch?

See, I actually have worked at Wal-mart, so I know those people first hand, they do not want to be there, they simply worked 30-40 years for a company, put their heart and soul into it, and get a pathetic retirement plan while the CEO laughs all the way to the bank

Lot's of them wish they could be home with their family, or working on their hobbies like model trains or writing or any number of wonderfully relaxing hobbies after working your entire life, however they don't have the money for frequent cruising/traveling, or they have a medical condition which they need financial assistance for...in most cases its the latter, they, through no fault of their own, have a finacial liability and can't afford to relax

Teach at a CC Yeah think of the job you have to "work" like 6 hours a week, i don't know if that's even work, you just tell people what you think for 6 hours about a subject a week

Why don't you want to work 40 hours or 60 as a Wal-Mart greeter instead?

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

You are fudging the numbers to make your point. You can't look only at a small fraction of the total expenditures and say that your costs went up 25%. The costs went up 25% but only if you are only looking at wages, and of those wages, only if you look at those people earning min wage. What was overall operating cost? What portion of that was wages? What is the overall effect on the business? It's a lot smaller than the opponents of the min wage increase would have you believe.

I didn't say all costs went up 25%. I said payroll did. And overall wages are up about 25%. My pay didn't go up 25%, I can assure you that. The increased wages are almost entirely from the minimum wage increase.

Payroll is also the largest controllable expense for just about every business. Whenever a business takes a hit, payroll is the easiest and generally most effecient way to accomodate shy of raising prices. We get our supplies as cheap as we can, that's a fixed cost. Rent is a fixed cost. Utitlities are fixed (we do what we can to conserve energy). And on and on. Basically the only thing we really can control that isn't fixed is payroll. When hit with any new expense payroll is where we're used to taking the hit from. We get a tax... ok, we employ less people and make a few work harder, become more effecient and/or raise prices. When you raise our payroll, same thing... less employees, less hours, and raise prices.

Operating costs for my business are skewed. It's a movie theater. Our film costs are absurd and completely paint a different picture. However, the increase is more than 1% of our costs. I don't have the time to do the math for you now, but the increase is dramatic. $5k a month is just below our cost of goods that month (our cost on concession items). The increase for that month was typically the same as our concession suppliers doubling all their prices on us. On busier months it wouldn't be as significant, but we only have about 4 months of being busy.

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

See, I actually have worked at Wal-mart, so I know those people first hand, they do not want to be there, they simply worked 30-40 years for a company, put their heart and soul into it, and get a pathetic retirement plan while the CEO laughs all the way to the bank

See, I've actually worked as a bag boy for the Publix down there, and I know for a fact that many of the bag men are retired and just enjoying life, working because they want to.

Funny isn't it?

[Thorgrim]

Originally Posted by ballz2wallz

See, I've actually worked as a bag boy for the Publix down there, and I know for a fact that many of the bag men are retired and just enjoying life, working because they want to.

Funny isn't it?

So they told you "Sure I have lots of money, almost too much, but I'd rather be here...bagging groceries"

Is that your dream, to be 70 years old and bagging groceries?

[ballz2wallz]

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

So they told you "Sure I have lots of money, almost too much, but I'd rather be here...bagging groceries"

Is that your dream, to be 70 years old and bagging groceries?

It seems you are unable to grasp any meaning in what they do.