Kentucky Votes Forum

Introduced in the House on January 2, 2007

Click here to view bill details.

Like the swallows returning to Capistrano, J.R. Gray submits another small-business punishment law again this year. Of course, it is dependent on his getting re-elected...

This Resolution should be passed. However, the minimum should be $7.50, but we'll take one step at a time tnx bill rowe

When I heard that one of the strategies for the Democrats in '06 was to put minimum wage on state ballots, in order to help drive their base to the ballot box, I honestly thought that it must have been a joke, or an idea that was being kicked around and not seriously being considered. It saddens me that a major political party resorts to what is essentially buying votes from the (generally) under- or un-educated. I wish our state was better than that. I could launch into a discussion about how the minimum wage actually hurts employment, in the long run, but, we'll skip that for now. Instead, I suggest to lawmakers that if they want to help Kentuckians make more money, long term, that they work to reform Kentucky's educational system. Make Kentucky's educational system one the rest of the nation envies. Give our children the competitive edge to be the best and brightest in our nation and world-wide, so we don't have to worry about a "minimum wage". I'll also hold off on my particular ideas for how to resolve many issues with education, as that is not the point of this legislation.

We need to have a automatic increase in the usa and kentucky mininum wage every 4-years every time we elect a usa president.We need to increase the usa and state of kentucky mininum wage by $2.00- dollars per hour every 4-years til we reach a usa mininum wage of $12.00- dollars per hour that will keep all usa workers above the usa poverty wages and incomes scales.

yes the minium wage should be raised like the gas price at least 100% to $10.30 per hour but if Gov dont regulate everthing else all the bussiness,s will just raise their products 110% and then a lot of good it would do the employee is on a fixed income he can only stand X amount of hours at what ever his wage may be thats all. 17% is a joke almost everything has raised like the gas and is still going up a lot more than 17% $5.15 per hr +17%=$6.02per hr could you live on even 60 hrs of that.

Yeah, we really need high school kids making $12/hr to push groceries and such. That won't cause any prices to rise. A kid working 20 hours a week would make $240/wk! I'm sure the beer companies are for it.

The goal of each American having a "livable wage" is a noble cause, however, raising the minimum wage will not accomplish this goal. Raising the minimum wage hurts lower income workers in several ways. (1) Raising the minimum wage increases the cost of all goods produced with minimum wage labor. Therefore, increasing minimum wage does not automatically increase wealth. Do you want to pay $1.50 for a White Castle burger? (2) Minimum wage increases hurt small businesses more than large businesses, and decreases their ability to hire additional workers. This is often off-set by medium-sized businesses by hiring illegal immigrants and other undocumented workers, who are paid under the table; which in turn increases the percentage of the tax burden on every legal worker. (3) Setting the base at $12/hr means that everyone who has worked to get raises above minimum wage will effectively have those gains wiped out, and reset back to the minimum. I know that when I was first in the workforce, the minimum wage was $4.25. I worked hard and recieved wage increases in return. My pay was increased to $5.25 per hour. Then, minimum wage was increased to $5.15 per hour. Essentially, I lost $0.90 of the $1.00 per hour economic advantage I had gained through hard work. Minimum wage is designed to prevent outright exploitation and virtual slavery for those entering the workforce. The key to breaking free of the chains of minimum wage is a combination of education and hard work. Most entry level jobs in the state of Kentucky already pay more than the minimum wage anyway. If you increase the minimum wage nationwide, you would take away the apparent economic advantage that entry-level workers already have today within the state of Kentucky. From the KY Enquirer, dated July 27th, 2006: http://tinyurl.com/ehdpo ... "The fast-food industry, once the bastion of minimum wage workers, now pays in excess of the minimum wage" ... Steve Stevens, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said the average entry-level job in the eight-county Northern Kentucky region pays $7.94 an hour. The statewide average is $6.94, Stevens said.

Peopl, People, People; Are u really listening to yourselves? Have u checked the unemployment rates all over the state of Kentucky recently? I live in a small town and over half of the working people work out of town, and the pay scale is not minimum wage. Anyone with a family cannot live on minimum wage. The prices of everything is going up and minimum wage is staying the same.

I think it's a great idea... The cost of living is getting so expensive, and not all of us get paid 13 and 14 bux an hr.. Honestly, *I* am making minimum wage. I wouldn't mind a raise in the least! With gas prices going sky high, and everything else, I dont see what the big deal is myself..

Alot of kids HAVE to work to help out these days. Their parents can't provide for them like they would like to and some just won't. 12 an hour would really benefit alot of families and teens and has nothing to do with the BEER companies. Besides, kids whom are busy don't have alot of idle time to get into things they don't need to and if they have to pay there own way they will think twice. It would also help those kids whom aren't able to go to college to be able to get a degree to try to earn more money. The price of living keeps rising and it is tough on families.

A "White Castle" burger will not cost $1.50. If you follow the simple rules of supply and demand, you will find that the cost of any item is determined by what people are willing to pay for said item. Example: I am willing to pay $1 for a McDonalds double cheeseburger, but I am not willing to do so for $2. Thus McDonalds, in wanting to sell burgers, will set the price for the maximum amount that individuals are willing to purchase the burger. Wages paid to employees do not set the price, the public consumer sets the price. If the price is too high, it won't sell. Period. If the price is too low, then the company is shorting itself profits. Raising the minimum wage will do two things: Help people get closer to a sustainable way of living & cut into the profits of the mega-corporations. These small, mom and pop places may feel a sting, however, they need a viable business plan in the first place to create a business. Not paying employees a fair wage is certainly not a viable way of doing business. Brett assumed.identity@gmail.com

Where did you learn economics and business -probably in the failing Ky school system.

We need to wake up when it comes to mininum wages , it not just kids and high schools students that are working for mininum wage , there are alot of adults who have to try and make a living on $5.15- per hour.There is no excuse in the usa for any person having to work for a poverty income and hourly wages in the usa and in the state of kentucky.We need a automatic increase the the usa mininum wage of $2.00- dollars per hour til we get and reach a usa mininum wage of $12.00- to $14.00- dollars per hour every 4-years everytime we elect a usa president into office.

I like to ask and encourage all citizens of kentucky to get out and vote this november-2006. Do not take your voting rights lightly.It does not matter what person or political party you support and vote for as long as you excercise your rights and duty to Vote in all and every election.