LibertyMage
07-20-2010, 10:31 AM
Dear Friend of Liberty,
We are continually reminded of the condition of the economy as our city, state and country continue to report depressing unemployment figures. If the young people of Baltimore hope to acquire jobs in this sagging economy it is vital that we not create policies that chase jobs out of the city.
Unfortunately, the legislators in Baltimore City seem to be in a competition with Washington DC to be the biggest job destroyers in the country. After new Walmart and Lowe's Home Improvement stores were politically chased out of Remington, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke introduced a bill that would require "major retailers" to raise their minimum wage by $3.32 an hour. It would be more accurate to call this "living wage" bill the "Job Deterring" bill.
If this minimum wage is set, it will have many negative consequences:
People will not want to work at smaller retailers that pay significantly lower wages. The result is that employees that work for small businesses will leave to work for corporations that have mandated wages, hurting small businesses.
Businesses that cannot afford a job at a new wage will eliminate it.
Businesses that cannot sustain with fewer jobs will leave the city or shutdown altogether.
Businesses that can survive the pay mandates will pass the costs along to the customers, resulting in an increase in prices for goods and services.
New businesses will choose to take their jobs elsewhere.
These points illustrate the problem with minimum wage bills; by making it illegal to hire people at a certain wage, the government doesn't lift people above the poverty line - it raises the poverty line itself. It is said that the generation currently graduating from college will be the first generation to have a lower standard of living than their parents. This is the opposite of prosperity.
Most parents - not having the time or desire to immerse themselves in economics - wonder why our standard of living is falling. You can look at bills like this to understand why. It has been 72 years since the first minimum wage was put in place and legislators are still struggling to find a "living wage". If our elected officials were serious about improving the living conditions of their constituents, they would admit that minimum wage bills are a complete failure and throw this bill in the trash.
When the legislature of Maryland created the "Millionaire Tax" the result was obvious and immediate; anyone in the impacted tax bracket left the state and we lost tax revenue. This bill will have the same effect. The CFO of locally owned Santoni's Supermarket in Highlandtown reports this bill could cost his business $300,000 a year, if he doesn't lay off workers and maintain current staffing levels.
Jobs are a vital part of the standard of living of the people of Baltimore City and the surrounding counties. They aren't political toys to be played with. The city council seems to be obsessed with chasing jobs out of the city. Stand up and tell them to keep their hands off of our livelihood!
Please call your City Council member and ask them to vote against 10-0505, the Job Deterring bill.
You can find your councilman here (http://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/citycouncil/)
Also, please sign the petition below and ask your friends and family to sign it. We will be delivering this petition to the offices of City Council members so that your voices will be heard.
You can find the petition here (http://www.campaignforliberty.com/usa/MD/2010100505.php)
We are continually reminded of the condition of the economy as our city, state and country continue to report depressing unemployment figures. If the young people of Baltimore hope to acquire jobs in this sagging economy it is vital that we not create policies that chase jobs out of the city.
Unfortunately, the legislators in Baltimore City seem to be in a competition with Washington DC to be the biggest job destroyers in the country. After new Walmart and Lowe's Home Improvement stores were politically chased out of Remington, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke introduced a bill that would require "major retailers" to raise their minimum wage by $3.32 an hour. It would be more accurate to call this "living wage" bill the "Job Deterring" bill.
If this minimum wage is set, it will have many negative consequences:
People will not want to work at smaller retailers that pay significantly lower wages. The result is that employees that work for small businesses will leave to work for corporations that have mandated wages, hurting small businesses.
Businesses that cannot afford a job at a new wage will eliminate it.
Businesses that cannot sustain with fewer jobs will leave the city or shutdown altogether.
Businesses that can survive the pay mandates will pass the costs along to the customers, resulting in an increase in prices for goods and services.
New businesses will choose to take their jobs elsewhere.
These points illustrate the problem with minimum wage bills; by making it illegal to hire people at a certain wage, the government doesn't lift people above the poverty line - it raises the poverty line itself. It is said that the generation currently graduating from college will be the first generation to have a lower standard of living than their parents. This is the opposite of prosperity.
Most parents - not having the time or desire to immerse themselves in economics - wonder why our standard of living is falling. You can look at bills like this to understand why. It has been 72 years since the first minimum wage was put in place and legislators are still struggling to find a "living wage". If our elected officials were serious about improving the living conditions of their constituents, they would admit that minimum wage bills are a complete failure and throw this bill in the trash.
When the legislature of Maryland created the "Millionaire Tax" the result was obvious and immediate; anyone in the impacted tax bracket left the state and we lost tax revenue. This bill will have the same effect. The CFO of locally owned Santoni's Supermarket in Highlandtown reports this bill could cost his business $300,000 a year, if he doesn't lay off workers and maintain current staffing levels.
Jobs are a vital part of the standard of living of the people of Baltimore City and the surrounding counties. They aren't political toys to be played with. The city council seems to be obsessed with chasing jobs out of the city. Stand up and tell them to keep their hands off of our livelihood!
Please call your City Council member and ask them to vote against 10-0505, the Job Deterring bill.
You can find your councilman here (http://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/citycouncil/)
Also, please sign the petition below and ask your friends and family to sign it. We will be delivering this petition to the offices of City Council members so that your voices will be heard.
You can find the petition here (http://www.campaignforliberty.com/usa/MD/2010100505.php)