On Jan. 1, Arizona’s minimum wage will increase for the fourth time in five years — this time by 10 cents an hour. In a state where the teen unemployment rate is still averaging 32 percent, it’s going to be even harder to find an entry-level job.
Arizona’s minimum wage is indexed to inflation, which means the cost to hire and train entry-level employees like teens rises almost every year. For labor-intensive businesses with low profit margins, like restaurants and grocery stores, even a seemingly small increase in labor costs can trigger unintended consequences. As customers continue to demand low prices, employers respond by cutting staff hours or positions and — over time — are forced to turn to more cost-effective alternatives like automation and self-service.
The consequences for the teen job market are clear: new research from the United States Military Academy at West Point finds that each 10 percent increase in a state’s minimum wage decreases teen employment by 3.6 percent.
Michael Saltsman, Research Fellow, Employment Policies Institute
Washington, D.C.
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Dale Whiting posted at 5:17 pm on Fri, Dec 31, 2010.
Emperor Smith,
I was raised in Northern Utah and Southern Idaho with a stint in the good old Dixicrat South of Texas. Dixicrats now are registered Republicans.
Now Slabside,
Where you hear me shouting "unconstitutional" you need to read, "illegal due to the constitutional doctrine of federal pre-emption." Federal Pre-emption is a 17 letter phrase. And coming to understand it was, is and apparently will remain higher than your pay grade as a fire chief. So get some education. Pearce needs to do the same.
Did you see the response to my comments on the Pearce article made by that out-of-stater who claims to have authored SB1070? I challenged Pearce on SB1070 and he chimed in. So I responded asking him to explain how the guts of SB1070 cannot be found unconstitutional [read "illegal"] due to Federal Pre-emption. Shut him right up!
So where a professional bill writer from the Neo-con party cannot explain how SB1070 withstands pre-emption, it is understandable that you cannot either. In fact, you cannot begin to appreciate this issue. So why don't you drop out until we hear from that baston of liberal judges in San Francisco?
Slabside posted at 4:05 pm on Thu, Dec 30, 2010.
That's the rub Emperor... the border is not secure and if anyone tries to pass laws to help curb the illegal invasion, DW screams "unconstitutional" like the liberal hack he is.
EmperorSmith posted at 1:13 pm on Thu, Dec 30, 2010.
I grew up in the farm land of NW IN
EmperorSmith posted at 1:10 pm on Thu, Dec 30, 2010.
If the border where secure I totally agree with you dale.
Slabside posted at 11:49 am on Thu, Dec 30, 2010.
Oh dear, did I strike a nerve? I just quoted what the Barry Goldwater conservative (that voted for Obama) had posted. Sorry if the facts confuse the great illegal panderer. Typical lib.
Dale Whiting posted at 10:11 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
Slabside,
Are you so narrow minded that you cannot follow a simple conversation? I start the conversation by addressing only the impact of minimum wage increases on the availability of work for teens suggesting a two tier system. Then Emperor Smith expands my thoughts to both teens and illegals having a sub-minimum wage, a two tier system. [Emperor Smith expanded this topic, not me] Then I said "I'd rather not add illegals to this system, pointing out that keeping illegals on the standard system where taxes could be collected at a standard rate might be better.
Then along come you, Slabside, and conclude that I am for hriing illegals. It's as if in your brain 1 + 1 = -2. You jump to conclusions, not from the facts or the discussion but from your preconceived notions of what people you don't like must be like.
So guessing you think you are good and I am bad, what color of hat do you think I wear?
Those of us who have considered the problem of illegals [and recall that list includes two sponsors of comprehensive immigration reform, i.e. John McCain in his prior incarnation of version 1.0 and Texas Governor "W"] have given thought to making it legal to hire illegals so the employers do not have incentives to hire them as cheep labor [recall the topic is cheep labor] such that the demand for illegal alien workers goes down.
Now I know that comprehensive immigration reform is a 30 character phrase and might be beyond your level of comprehension. So perhaps rather than chiming in to prove that you do not understand these issues, perhaps you should shut up. That way those of us who only think you do not know what you are talking about will not get proof that you don't.
Your concerned but condescenting friend.
Slabside posted at 6:30 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
DW says, "But I'd rather have illegals be paid a full minimum wage, paying FICA , etc. than compete with teens." There you have it folks, DW supports illegals in our country. That's why he is hysterical ov SB1070, Pearce and Brewer. DW, move to another country please!
Dale Whiting posted at 5:59 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
Did you and I have a similar upbringing? Rural, right? I grew and picked tomatoes and corn for local canning as well as for sale to a cannery. And since I had three brothers but no sisters, we all had chores around the house. My mother bragged to the neighbors who had girls that she got more help from any one of us than they got from all of their girls. Guys can become competitive when it comes to chores.
But I did not hear you answering my querry? Wouldn't it be better to pay illegals enrolled in some sort of path to citizenship a full minimum wage and have them pay taxes, too?
For those of you who are wondering what my comprehensive immigration reform package is, either look back to John McCain version 1.0 or to G.W. Bush - Texas Governor and read theirs. As governor Bush practically drafted comprehensive reform. Then we elected him President, 9-11 came along and he had to scramble to stay out in front. Reform got kicked like a can farther down the road.
EmperorSmith posted at 3:13 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
so world is going to hell in hand basket, I don't have a solution.
EmperorSmith posted at 3:08 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
Can't speak for teens now but when I was one I swept floors and would have hoed lettuce just did not have the chance for that. I did harvest tomatoes at local farms but that was a family thing, just say family liked to can.
Dale Whiting posted at 2:30 pm on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
Not a bad idea. But I'd rather have illegals be paid a full minimum wage, paying FICA , etc. than compete with teens. Wouldn't you? When was the last time you saw a teen willing to sweep floors, hoe lettuce and clean house like illegals do?
EmperorSmith posted at 11:58 am on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
teen and illegal is more like it.
Dale Whiting posted at 8:18 am on Wed, Dec 29, 2010.
Clearly teens would benefit with having a two tier minumum wage scale. But will a 10 cent increase really make much of a difference to employers considering new hires? When the choice if between a teen and an older worker, experience might make the minimally higher wage palpable. Otherwise, where teens have tended to be here today and gone tomorrow, work history means more.