Seattle has $15/hour min wage.

[Ranb]

http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/02/news/economy/seattle-minimum-wage/index.html?hpt=hp_c2

Seattle's city council on Monday unanimously approved an increase in the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour, making it the nation's highest by far.

Washington already has the nation's highest state-level minimum wage, at $9.32. That rate also applies to the city.

The increase to $15 in Seattle will take place over several years based on a scale that considers the size of and benefits offered by an employer. It will apply first to many large businesses in 2017 and then to all businesses by 2021.

The first increase, on April 1, 2015, brings the minimum wage to $10 for some businesses and $11 for others.

Some think the law does not go far enough. Those critics say the plan takes too long to phase in and object to an amendment that would let businesses pay teenagers a "subminimum training wage" for their first 90 days on the job.

With the gradual increases in the wage I guess there won't be a mass exodus of small business from Seattle to avoid paying higher wages.

Nothing to do with the wage increase; but to me Seattle is like alien territory compared to the west side of Puget Sound. I only go there now to beg politicians to take action on a bill.

Ranb

 

[newyorkguy]

The police beat you up but you're guaranteed fifteen bucks an hour. I can see that.

 

[thaiboxerken]

This will destroy the economy of Seattle! Unless it doesn't, proving the Conservative talking point wrong.

 

[mijopaalmc]

Nothing to do with the wage increase; but to me Seattle is like alien territory compared to the west side of Puget Sound. I only go there now to beg politicians to take action on a bill.

(I think) I see what you did there.

 

[Ranb]

I live near Belfair which is nothing like Seattle, hence my "alien territory" stab. I'm actually more familiar with and comfortable in San Diego which is weird because i think southern CA would be an awful place to live. Haha.

Ranb

 

[IXP]

The first increase, on April 1, 2015, brings the minimum wage to $10 for some businesses and $11 for others

So the title is a lie.

IXP

 

[Monketi Ghost]

If it helps people afford a fifteen dollar cup of coffee, I'm all for it

 

[NewtonTrino]

This is going to be phased in over years so any effect will be muted by that.

Personally I don't think this is going to make much difference to the Seattle economy. Rents have already been increasing rapidly because of the influx of workers. I actually gave out a couple of raises last week to some of our more junior employees so the could afford to live in the city (they already made way more than minimum btw, like a multiple of it).

 

[deadrose]

I see a problem, Ranb. Shouldn't you be going to Olympia to beg politicians for action on a bill?

 

[Ranb]

I see a problem, Ranb. Shouldn't you be going to Olympia to beg politicians for action on a bill?

Not sure how you lobby for a bill, but I ask for an appointment when and where it is convenient for the politician. This is usually at their district office (Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton, Shelton etc) or a diner/coffee shop. I met the House Judiciary Chair twice at coffee places in Seattle. That was the way he did things before he went to the Senate. I'm not part of any organization, I only represent myself.

I've had mixed results. Two gun control bills eventually passed; I had no luck getting a bkgd check bill amended into something that had a snowball's chance in hell of passage.

So how do you meet with your legislators?

Ranb

 

[Ranb]

So the title is a lie.

More an attempt at being brief and luring people to the thread. durka durka

Ranb

 

[deadrose]

Well, I guess my attempt at humor fell exceedingly flat that time

I generally write to them instead of trying to meet with them in person. Having exceedingly painful bad knees and a dependence on public transportation will do that.