I remember making minimum wage, $3.35 per hour, when I worked at Burger King during high school. Most of my coworkers were high school students, college students and very few were adults. Prior to my job at Burger King, I had a paper route that, according to my memory, netted out to less than minimum wage. In the case of the paper route, I had to pay for the newspapers, rubber bands, and bike expenses, not to mention my time to fold and deliver the newspapers. In addition, back then we had to go door to door to collect the monthly subscription.
Over time, I received raises at Burger King by passing tests on food preparation and positive performance evaluations. Merit-based raises of 10 cents were earned, and I achieved my top rate of $4.15 and a promotion to Production Leader. I recall enjoying the job except for the increased acne from working the fryer station and those ever-attractive brown polyester uniforms. Around this time, I actually contemplated quitting high school and pursuing a management position at Burger King. Instead, I stayed in school and went on to college like many of my fellow high school co-workers.
It seems like today that the opportunities for employment and taking on responsibility have decreased for our youth. The paperboy on a bike has turned into paperman in car. And Burger King-type jobs have changed from youth to adults, many of whom are recent immigrants.
I am voting “no” on Measure D, which would increase the minimum wage only in San Jose from $8 to $10 an hour. As a councilmember that represents a district that borders two other cities, I see firsthand how San Jose competes for retail sales, filling vacant commercial space and jobs. Westfield Valley Fair shopping center, for example, is split between Santa Clara and San Jose. If a new prospective tenant has a choice of space in the mall, they will choose Santa Clara should measure D pass, as I will explain.
Residents do not stop in their tracks when they reach the invisible border of a city limit. They shop based on convenience, quality and the big one—price. Measure D will put San Jose at a disadvantage just like the currently proposed Habitat Conservation Plan that Mayor Reed lampooned for over an hour at last week’s council meeting.
Measure D will create wage inflation. Workers that make $10 today will seek $12 tomorrow and so on. If a business only has so much money allocated for payroll, then the result will be laying off a certain number of employees or reducing hours to keep payroll in line with actual sales. I believe youth will comprise the majority of the layoffs and reduced hours. Measure D, which is a 38 percent increase in payroll (wages & payroll taxes) to employers who pay minimum wage, would not increase sales 38 percent nor even 1 percent.
A business in San Jose that employs minimum wage workers will simply have less profit margin and some of them will inevitably move. In the case of my district, these businesses will move just over the city border and those that remain in San Jose will increase prices. My dad, who grew up during the Great Depression, will drive to another city just to get a free plastic bag. When prices increase, my dad, who could easily win the game show, “The Price is Right,” will simply shop in another city.
Those that make $10 today instead of $8 are either performing well or have a more difficult job, which is why they make 25 percent more. Is it fair that the current $10 a hour worker would now be equal to a $8 hour worker? Does it create the expectation for future two-dollar wage increases through no effort of the individual? That is a debate in itself, however, the real problem is that San Jose is not a silo and we are surrounded by other cities.
Measure D would create retail vacancy in San Jose, especially near the border of other cities. Over time, new business will choose cities where payroll costs are lower and, most importantly, where their payroll is not regulated and audited by city government. For San Jose to comply with Measure D requires the hiring of people to oversee and regulate business for compliance with no revenue to pay for those new positions. I would much rather higher five new people in our planning department to expedite the process for industrial and commercial development than positions that add zero value, which Measure D would mandate.
The few cities that have raised the minimum wage are anomalies bordered by water or desert: San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Albuquerque.
To my original premise, I believe Measure D will result in less jobs for youth in San Jose. Employment for youth outside of compensation provides the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons.
On a related note, the majority of my council colleagues voted—but not me—to discuss and take a position on various State Propositions like the Death Penalty at this week’s council meeting. In my opinion this is a waste of time that has nothing to do with the City Charter and we might as well discuss, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.
Pierluigi Oliverio is a San Jose councilmember for District 6.
What a silly argument you make Oliverio! Have you so quickly forgotten where you came from and how hard it was to work instensively for such a low wage. Now that you have deemed yourself to be “rich and famous,” and have the ability to make a difference, you act and speak unreasonably. How can a student, adult or anyone make ends meet by working within San Jose for $8 an hour? A single mom, a low income parent or someone without an education is going to have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Can you do the math Oliverio and figure out that two parents working two jobs means paying daycare with half their wages….or worse, leaving their kids unattended which means gangs or negative peer group pressures to enter their lives.
I’m sorry that you worked for such low wages back then Oliverio….Are you feeling sorry for yourself? Do you think that you’re the only one thats worked for low wages? Alot of us “older folks” made far worse hourly wages….grow up will you Oliverio and use common sense to make an arguement. You didn’t re-read your article before submitting it, did you? Otherwise, you would have deleted the whole article.
Once last question: I’m curious if after you post an article, you read what people post, several days afterwards? You must be embarrassed if you do!
Hi Maverick aka Top Gun. Actually Oliverio makes perfect sense. If its the same product two different prices why pay the higher price. Drive to the town with a cheaper price.
So your main argument in this Top Gun is that a adult in SJ can’t live on $8 a hour. I don’t think anyone can nor $10 a hour. That is why its a min wage job which equals low skilled. If you get a skill you work up and get a raise. But your group is taking even that away.
So in your world a person that works hard and gets a skill gets a raise to $10 now should get paid like they didn’t get the raise? Why didn’t your group insist to have everybody get a pay raise of 38%. Why were you so stingy? What gives? Your not paying it some poor sap business owner will be paying it.
I didn’t read once in your argument Top Gun how a small business is going to absorb this wage increase? Most small business are just getting by with this crappy economy. I guess you think they are like the government it will magically happen.
I guess we ought to make part time jobs illegal too.
And no more volunteer work. If you can’t live on $8 how you gonna live on zero?
John I’m sure the city will pass a law that you can’t donate your time. Or I should say some college group will need to get a Measure to say you need to pay a fair wage. Lets make it $15 a hour.
Pierluigi, you crack me up. Keep up the good work.
With respect to your comments, it is true that a forced higher minimum wage is nothing more than wage inflation and will hurt business. It is non-common sensical. For the people who apparently are only skilled enough to work minimum wage jobs, maybe look in the mirror and ask why you are in a low-skilled job. I’ve heard way too much pitiful pandering to the lowest common denominator among us. Consider instead that we live in the best county in the entire world, in probably the most dynamic and ever-changing part of that country, and we have so much opportunity to reset lives by either working hard or learning new skills. Community colleges cost practically nothing. Rather than pandering to the low-skilled workers, let’s offer paths to obtaining tool sets to get people out of low skilled work, which to me, is high school part time labor as Pierluigi so nicely ruminates about in his piece.
And please, if anyone actually reads this, don’t blast me with more hard luck stories about peoples situations. We all have brains. Any situation can be changed with a little will-power.
Nobody’s more qualified to judge whether a person deserves a raise than is that person’s boss.
Pierluigi understands that employers must not be arbitrarily deprived of their right to make these decisions and GOOD workers must not be robbed of the opportunity to EARN a raise.
PO,
your problem is you have no memory. Your crocodile tears and comment about the police dept at the Public safety committee were so out of line. The 3 of you were an embarrassment to all citizens and a disgrace to all that serve.
Hey Rob. It’s time you open a business and see what a small business owner actually goes through on a day to day basis. At least this guy is standing up for the little man.
vote no on raising min wage
not in SJ, thank you. I no longer even shop there.
Sorry to hear that Rob. Hope you come back but I can see why you would leave if the prices get to high especially if this bad piece of legislation passes.
PO,
just a suggestion for next weeks blog.
Can you explain the cities transparency guidelines and the city council code or ethics. finally, can you explain time sheet fraud as it applies to council members.
Example: if i were on medical leave and attended a political event while I was on this leave then changed my leave time to reflect I was no longer on medical leave when I attended this rally would that justify time sheet fraud?
Thanks for your consideration
As my Grandfather used to say, “Son, get an education or not. It makes no difference to me. We will always love you, but remember, the world needs ditch diggers too.”
P.O.,
There are so many flaws in this post that I had to laugh. People don’t open businesses in San Jose because of the red tape, and financial burden placed on them by the City of San Jose. Surrounding cities are much more business friendly, and cheaper too!
Big stores now have “self checkout” lines, which steal jobs from human beings.
You can now shop on line for EVERYTHING from groceries, to furniture! Who needs as many employees when you can do that! The profit margin for these companies is astronomical!
Technology, which you are certainly a big fan of, is putting people out of work, along with outsourcing.
The lack of affordable education is a big reason people are unemployed too!
The list of “why” people are unemployed is endless, so saying that raising the minimum wage by a measly $2.00 an hour is going to make businesses crash and burn is outrageous!
I have dealt with many small business owners who say “The City of San Jose,” increases in the amount of their annual leases, the cost of insurance, and the economy are the problem, not wages.
If you want to do something profound to bring business to San Jose, get people back to work, and keep small business going, try looking into reducing City fees, rental space for businesses, and job training for people who need skills for something better paying than Burger King.
I voted YES to raise the minimum wage. Hard working people deserve a fair wage!
Kathleen I see flaws in your logic. Lets see since its hard to open a business in San Jose due to fees and red tape you want to even make it harder to open one by increasing the min wage higher so your paying your employees more then the business in the next town. How does that make sense. Lets take a restaurant where you need a cook, busboy, hostess, dishwasher, prep cook, server, supervisor, and you need a couple of more of each depending on the time of day. Well that is a extra $20 bucks a hour based on a 15 hour day that would take you to $300 a day. Take a 360 day year that takes you to $108,000 a year in salary. Not sure how much you make Kathleen but $108,000 would take most restaurants and make them burn and crash hard.
I agree some big stores have self checkout but they are going away with that as shoplifting has increased.
So curious why did you vote Yes to raise the wage when small businesses struggle to even compete in these tough times. All they will do is let people go our cut hours.
Je,
We can agree to disagree. Not one of the small business owners I know in SJ, or other cities pay minimum wage. They pay a better wage than that. They assured me that a $2.00 an hour wage increase will NOT destroy a business.
The more people earn, the more they spend….
@Kathleen to be honest I agree on the agree to disagree part if its a topic like abortion. Is it the childs life or mothers body etc. But on this it just hurts businesses. So are the small business owners you know do they own a restaurant or in retail. Those are the two big ones that will get crushed yes that would destroy them. But say your friend is in a DR’s office then yes the receptionist is probably getting over $10 a hour. It’s hard to pay a full time person for $8. It’s really reserved for the part time worker who has crappy hours. Yes boss I can work from 4-8 only on Tue and Thurs. Your hired at $8 but let go at $10 because I can get someone to drive from Morgan Hill for the higher pay.
More they earn more they spend makes sense right. It worked so well for the Bush tax cuts huh. Everybody is spending that money. Why don’t we just raise the min wage to $30 then people really can spend. That arguement doesn’t make sense I’m sorry.
The fact is people need to get better skills then they will get a better wage. All this does is put’s San Jose business at a huge disadvantage. Yes it works in San Francisco but that is a city with water around it and also a tourist spot. Sorry SJ is missing the golden gate bridge, wharf, big downtown, Golden Gate park, plays, etc. Last I looked all SJ had was a downtown and from the comments I heard people that even support this says it won’t survive. So I hope you reconsider your vote Kathleen as in NO because at the end of the day your just closing business and raising unemployment hence less earning and less spending. Vote NO on D as its just Dumb
Kathleen that is to bad. I guess you don’t care about the small business owner trying to make it. Or the first time job seeker as they will be out of luck. Not sure who will hire a inexperienced person at $10 a hour.
Je,
I voted yes, and I’m good with it.
Je,
It is because I care about BOTH small business AND workers that I and thousands of others voted yes. You need to learn respect differing opinions Je, and let it go.
Well Kathleen you really DON’T care about small business as you wouldn’t shove this Measure down everyones throat. I care about the city and yes I work many hours a week trying to support it. Sorry but when I hear all those made up stuff from the Yes people I have to LMAO. Sorry if you increase your expenses then your profit goes down. If it goes down enough it goes in the red. Guess what happens your business goes belly up. So if you do the math many business go belly up. Sorry please tell me where this magical money comes from to equal this extra expense. The comments from people like yourself is then go out of business. That is the best answer I’ve heard so far. Basically your telling all small business like restaurants to shut there doors. Wow sounds really business unfriendly to me.
Kathleen I really don’t believe you own a business or if you do you maybe have one or two people under the min wage. Sorry most businesses have small margins. Wages is my biggest expense. If your wages are below advertising then you have a high profit margin and congrats. But your measure that you support will hurt many businesses. I just wish you would pick a P&L statement so you can see for yourself.
Je,
You seem to be the only one on here personally attacking people for having a differing opinion. Telling me I don’t care about small business, etc. is just silly. I AM a small business owner and have been before! You can vote any way you want to! Who cares?
If you want to ignore the real reasons that businesses fail, then that is your right. I voted yes, I told you why, so good luck on your business ventures, and be well.
Someone previously posted a link for the council meeting where PLO offered some sympathy to his constituents.
Please repost as I am now unable to locate it.
It wasn’t removed by SJI was it?
http://sanjose.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=6087
Thank you. Incredible footage.
World according to PO
“On a related note, the majority of my council colleagues voted—but not me—to discuss and take a position on various State Propositions like the Death Penalty at this week’s council meeting.”
Thank you, finally got one thing right. WE don’t care what you think about measures. Because WE know you are always wrong anyway, so don’t waste your time of OURS.
How about improving our city first! Good luck with that. (see comment above)
Everyone seems to miss the main point. We need jobs as in San Jose. If you have more jobs and less workers guess what you have to pay more to attract those workers. If its enough pay you will get them as the workers will travel from all over to do the work. Now with this Measure D you are forcing small business to pay more while the other cities don’t have too. Guess what you will drive business away less jobs equal less pay. Of course you can’t pay less then $10 a hour now. But good luck in getting businesses back to San Jose once they leave. Sorry you need to have better skills which leads to better jobs which lead to more demand at the lower wages so you raise the wage.
No on Measure D as its just Dumb.
Pier,
You are right that our city does not have some invisible border between our city and the next. Having this in mind, why did you champion a plastic bag ban in San Jose?? All this did was to chase tax dollars from San Jose to surrounding cities with no bag ban. It is much more convenient to go to a surrounding city to a store which provides a bag for my groceries, one that I take back to the store to recycle.
Many of us have stories from our youth about minimum-wage employment. I was fortunate to work in an Italian submarine sandwich shop where I learned the most incredible recipe for meatballs. I just used the recipe last Sunday to culinary raves.
Today, a debate is raging at the national level in our presidential race as well as our local race of measure D here in San Jose. This fundamental discussion is about the role of government with the competing interests of individuals and society. Are we individuals who care only for ourselves or do we have a larger responsibility to care for and help others who are in need?
We are facing the challenge of some including the Chamber and their Council member who only see individualism as the cornerstone for government. Let the market make the rules.
I reject that philosophy. The beauty of America is that we are like a quilt with the threads of individual rights interwoven with society’s responsibilities for those who are in need.
Measure D is not a panacea. It is a step and a statement by the Capital of Silicon Valley to take the lead on minimum wage by increasing it. The phony allegations of businesses leaving, laying off workers, or severely increasing prices in San Jose are unfounded fear-mongering. These arguments have repeatedly failed ever since minimum wage was enacted part of the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. San Jose, the 10th largest city in the United States can lead America by voting YES on Measure D.
Finally, for all of these workers who are going to receive this outrageous increase of $2.00. What are they going to do with it? Invest in stocks? Buy mutual funds? No, they are going to spend it right here, right now in San Jose which will stimulate our economy and create more jobs. Austerity is failing everywhere. Let’s help others and we all will reap the benefits. Vote Yes on D!
“Are we individuals who care only for ourselves or do we have a larger responsibility to care for and help others who are in need?”
Is it possible, Mr. Kline, that many who oppose Measure D might actually be concerned about “those in need” too? Might different people have different ideas about how best to help people?
Or is throwing money at people the only way to help them?
John,
Throwing money at people? Excuse me but they work to earn that money. It isn’t welfare.
Kathleen it is welfare when your paying someone more then they are worth.
Oh wait don’t tell me you tip your server 50% of the bill for crappy service. The fact is if someone is good they get raises or they move on to better paying jobs. As you said most of your friends pay above $10 a hour. Sorry but money is the reward system. I can pay $35,000 a plate and talk to the president of the USA. Is that fair?
Je,
It is not Welfare, it is a fair wage for a crap job.
Yes! I am a good tipper because I was a waitress for many years, and I know how tough the job is. That is how I paid for college.
If you are dumb enough to pay 35K to speak to the President, please, go right a head! This is America, spend your money any way you want to!
So tell us Je, what kind of business do you own, how much do you pay your staff, how much do you pay in insurance, business fees, for your lease etc. I would really love to know why you continually refuse to accept that people can vote any way they want to in this country?
You seem to think you are an expert on what is fair, creates business, on and on, so the floor is yours. Please enlighten us, we the ignorant.
Kathleen,
It’s a entry level job so you can call it what you want. I just went to a job fair and had probably around 200 high schools kids begging to work this so called crap job and they also said no one would hire them because of limited hours and lack of experience. I’m sure if this passes everybody will be hiring these kids right? That is the first problem with this Measure.
That is great that your a good tipper. But do you tip on bad service? Will you still tip 25% if your server just didn’t do a great job. Mixed your order up you had to wait then gave you the stink eye. How much is that tip. With this your telling me as a business owner I have to pay someone for poor service. I used to give raises when people step up. Now I won’t be able to do that is it won’t be in the budget. Again you have to be competitive with the business down the street in Santa Clara.
Point on 35k is money gets people to do things.
It’s a restaurant if you haven’t figured it out. So yes I have more then one min wage employee. I wouldn’t mind this Measure as much but when you average on 10 employees on its gets expensive. Read my other posts. But it a extra 100,000 a year in expenses cause everyone will need a bump. The cook making $12 will no longer be happy making only $2 more a hour then the dishwasher. But the fact is if I raise my prices 20% business drops. So guess what I will need to cut hours or fire the slower people. You said you voted so I’m talking to the wind for all its worth as at this point no one besides us is reading this blog. I just don’t like your side saying San Jose is a tourist area like SF so it will be fine. Sorry its not a tourist area. Then to say all this extra money will be flowing as people will be buying stuff. The bush tax cuts promised that I’m sure you noticed what happened to that. Then the argument for well you can’t support a family of four on $8 a hour. These jobs aren’t designed to do that. It’s for the first time job getter. The high school student. And the college student with crappy hours.
Which leads me to my last point what is fair. What happened to working hard and getting raises? Why is someone with a family of four working as a dishwasher? Did our skill system fail them? Why are parts of South Dakota screaming for workers willing to pay $15 a hour but in San Jose kids are begging to work for $8. Supply and Demand…To many workers not enough jobs. So tell me Kathleen what will happen once you raise the wage to $10. Why would a employer come to San Jose to pay a higher wage? So your going to decrease the amount of jobs with this Measure. So lets look at a couple of examples in the real world. Where do they make Nike shoes, Iphones, grow our salmon, etc. There done in other countries right? Mainly China..Even reading Xrays that is India. Why are call centers in other parts of the world? What happened to the US jobs?
Love to hear factual answers to these questions then its not a living wage so lets raise it.
PS. Do a google search on Alberque, NM. They are trying to raise the wage from 7.50 to 8.50. That isn’t as harsh on business. This is just a to big of a jump for one city that is next to cities paying so much less.
You have to have a business friendly environment or they will leave.
Well said Mr. Kline!
Kathleen why don’t you rent out a room in your house for $200 a month and help people. This would start getting rents down. Sorry thing is I just see a group of college kids wanting more money but not doing anything themselves except telling a minority to spend more money on labor when that labor is unskilled.
Je,
You crack me up. I volunteer 50 hours a week helping those in need. What do you do for those in need of assistance?
It is very clear that from your posts that you are a small business owner who is trying to keep your profit margin. That’s okay with me, but don’t preach to me about fair wages. I’ve own/ed two SMALL businesses. One was a craft business, and the other I have now is a teaching one. I NEVER paid anyone under $10.00 an hour, and I made a profit at both!
BTW-I AM a renter and cannot sublet out a room in my apartment. Do you rent rooms out of your house?
LOL try that I’m trying to stay profitable. Not go in the red. I just want to compete with the business a mile down the road in Santa Clara.
Wow you volunteer 50 hours a week and run a small business that is amazing.
I am a renter also. My rooms have my kids in them. So I doubt that would work in my situation.
And Yes with all these new rules I would have been much much much better off never opening a business in San Jose. I know I won’t be expanding in this city after this experience.
Maybe all open a craft business as it sounds like you do really well paying your employees over $10 a hour. You have 10-15 employees right? If it just one then this Measure doesn’t even effect you. If you do have one then give that person a $20 hour raise then you can feel my pain. Will you do that Kathleen?? If not your not even in the same boat.
FYI I do have employees making over $10 a hour just not the unskilled ones. Hence why this would crush my business and put people out to work.
I’m guessing you worked at a high end restaurant then? Where a glass of wine was $15. In that case your doing bigger dollar numbers. So $2 makes very little difference. If your highest priced item is $10 then yes your margins are different and wages become a big concern. So to call me not a good business person I now feel attacked by you.
Your even saying business don’t stay in San Jose. So with this how many will now open up? It’s another added cost. You ask why I stay. I have a lease. I wish this Measure said you can break your lease. As of right now I need to go bankrupt to get out of it.
They might spend more but where? Last article I read 60% live in different cities. So why are they getting on a bus to come to SJ to spend at my place. I don’t think so..
Sorry but all your points for this Measure are flawed except $8 should be a lot lot more. Which I agree. Why don’t we call this what it is. People need more money so lets raise the wage. It’s to hard to do it on the federal level, state level so lets do it for this city. Big business got TARP money which I heard that arguement so they should pay more. Basically nobody cared about small business in this Measure. What I’m attacking is everyone saying it will have no effect and business will boom after this is passed. Those statements are as false as Obama will close Gitmo and he will legalize all the illegals in this country in his first year. I’m still waiting. Besides giving a dishwasher a raise or other unskilled job a raise how will this benefit anyone??? Question is $10 really a living wage? I find that hard to believe. All a min wage job is spending money for a student.
Je,
You still haven’t answered my questions. What do you do to improve the world for others? What is your overhead?
I’ve worked in and managed a restaurant before. If you have a good business you will continue to make a profit, if a $2.00 wage increase hurts your business, then you aren’t a very good business person.
You seem to be unable to process that the REAL reasons businesses fail is because of bad management, the economy, space rent increases, taxes, insurance, City fees, rise in product costs, etc. You might ask yourself why you are staying in San Jose, if a $2.00 wage increase is going to break you!
The reason many businesses go to other cities is because San Jose is business unfriendly. It is much cheaper to go elsewhere. Campbell, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, etc. have tons of businesses!
Finally, you are using the same old tired argument businesses use every time fair wage increases are brought up. Do the math yourself Je, if people earn more they spend more, and if they aren’t going to your business, then may be you might need to look at changing the way you run yours, and place a call to Restaurant Impossible right a way…
Kathleen, we may not see eye to eye on a lot of things. But on this topic, I agree with you completely and it is nice to see someone that gets it. Thanks for the posts.
SJFF,
Thank you for your support. Je is doing the same fear mongering that ALL businesses do when they fear their profit margin will be affected. We RARELY raise the minimum wage, so it’s stupid to argue about it. Any way, low income people end up depending on Social Services to make ends meet, which costs tax payers money any way, so exactly where are the savings in the end if we keep people dirt poor?
I know that when this passes, and it will pass, other cities will raise their minimum wage to match ours. If they don’t raise their minimum wage, no one will work for them, they’ll come to San Jose instead. Either way, it will all work out in the end.
Thank you for your service and please stay safe out there.
Kathleen since I’m fear mongering and All businesses do that. Why not raise the min wage to $20? Why are you being so cheap? Where did you come up with $10? According to you everybody should make a decent wage. I mean that is the steepest increase ever in the USA for min wage. But lets face it $10 doesn’t pay the rent, car payments etc. I mean a dishwasher should be able to support there family of four right? Just guess its not skilled doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have nice things right? So how did your group come up with $10? Since your theory is more min wage people make my business will just boom. A extra expense of $90,000 a year won’t effect a thing Right? And Santa Clara will run to raise there wages right? No one will work for them right? Which makes zero sense. Since they can pay more then min wage to attrack the people if they need too. The concept you and SJFF can’t seem to grasp is if you raise the dishwasher raise you need to raise the cooks, managers, etc. Why would the cook want to just make $10.50 when the dishwasher is 50cents below that.
Just curious what happened to paying for talent? I just let someone go at $8 cause they were to slow and showed up late. Also I gave a raise to someone to $9 because they bust there hump.
By the way you better hope this doesn’t pass as you will see business just move. Its a fact you can see it on a state wide scale. Why is CA losing businesses and Texas is businesses are increasing. HINT Doing business in CA is tough.
You even say doing business in San Jose is tough why make it impossible Kathleen?
First of all if this passes you won’t have very many stories about the min wage worker in the submarine sandwich shop. Why hire a unskilled worker when your forced to pay a skilled wage. Instead of seeing 2 job applicants you will see 20 as people will come from other cities to take that job. Way to kill that future job experience Stephen.
So you feel the need to help others. What are you actually doing? All I see you doing is passing it on the small business owner by saying you need to pay your worker more since you chose San Jose as the town to do business in. Do you own a business? SInce you feel the need to help others why don’t you rent out a room in your home at say $200 a month. That would start helping people. I don’t see ONE person doing that. They all want market rate or more. What do you do to help people besides telling what others need to do? Far as I’m concerned you are worse then the business owner as at least they are providing a job. All you do is judge them by saying you need to pay more.
And your last point is the biggest lie ever told. Business won’t increase prices, lay off employee, cut hours, etc. Have you seen a P&L statement. When expenses(wages) go up profits go down or prices need to go up or you need to sell more product. Since most of these people live outside SJ they will spend this extra money in the towns they live in or ship it back home. So basically prices need to go up. No one will drive further to save money? I guess nobody uses coupons either to save money. Or why amazon is such a small company compared to Barnes and Noble. Nobody goes on line to save money right? They all shop in San Jose. And don’t forget America makes so many things here cause or wages our so great. Nothing is made in China right Stephen? So tell me Stephen why would a company make a product in China?
Your so called outrageous increase of $2.00 really. Have you done the math. If a restaurant has 10 employees you need to give them all a raise. You really think you can pay the dishwasher the same as a cook. So lets take 10 times $2 that is $20 a hour. With fica, workmens comp etc. Say $25 a hour. Take a day of 10 hours to keep the math simple. that is $250 a day times 365 days that becomes $91,250. So I guess to you that is small beans right Stephen and the owner just absorbs this? Nope he closes down and moves out of a business unfriendly city.
To be fair I agree the wages need to go up. But you need to do it state wide so it doesn’t crush the small business. Vote NO on D as its Dumb.