The report on the effects of the minimum wage turned out to be a complete waste of $48,000 we thought it would be. Since the consultant with questionable credibility quit before the job was done it is incomplete and the conclusions are in question. We heard they interviewed business owners, but we haven’t heard the methodology for how they were chosen. Was it from a random sample of a list of all area owners or was it from a list that was recommended by the Chamber? We have not heard how many minimum wage workers were interviewed if at all?
We have not learned how many workers have been able to reduce or remove their government assistance such as food stamps, housing assistance and Medicaid, or how much less money is spent on these programs along with a reduction in personnel doing intakes and monthly checks for these programs. We have not heard how much additional tax dollars went to the city, county, state and federal governments in the form of sales and income tax from these workers because of increased income. By the way, these amounts should more than cover the extortion payments the state wants us to pay them for having a higher than state level minimum wage.
Nothing was reported from businesses about any increased spending from minimum wage workers.
How many workers no longer have to work two or three jobs so that now they can spend more time with family, more free time to recreate and recover from a work week?
Worst of all, we have not heard a thing about the ultimate goal of paying a living wage, to give all workers in our community dignity.
ED DUNN
Flagstaff
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