The Minimum Wage Debate Explained

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A job isn't created to provide a living wage.

Imagine a McDonald's franchisee (owner) invests 1 million dollars in a McDonalds franchise to make a 10-12% yearly return on the 1 million dollar initial investment.

So a job is created to help that business owner make that 10-12% yearly return.

if only we could starve the richie riches out by never partaking of their crappy businesses until they played fair. they NEED us more than we need them.

What debate? It’s way too low - especially in the USA.

*watches video*

Good presentation. Agree 100%.

We have a higher minimum wage here, but still no one making minimum wage can afford to rent an average 1 bedroom apartment in the city as rent exceeds 100% of a full time minimum wage job by a long shot. But it’s still better than in the USA.

Also, acknowledging that the system is what it is, I’m a construction trades apprentice - because trades get higher pay here than most job classifications & there’s the potential to run your own contracting business and earn a 6 figure income. Can’t do that flipping burgers even for the most generous wages.

washington and oregon were the first states to boost their minimum wages.

is a six-figure income in Vancouver enough to prosper there, or would you have to work there but live elsewhere?

Depends.

If you make $100k/year you’re within the top ~5% of incomes.

If you choose to rent a cheap room and live a relatively low key life, you could do incredibly well be saving and investing elsewhere and retire a multi
Millionaire.

But if you buy a home you’ll maybe be able to buy a small condo in the city or a townhouse in the suburbs Maybe, and then monthly payments will make you cash poor.

If your objective is to buy a detached house.. well, maybe just barely a 1.5+ hour drive out of downtown.

Think you’re gonna support a wife and kids? Again, you could, while renting a cheap old place. I mean, I know a family of 3 that survive on about $35k - but no one is prospering or thriving on money like that.

For Me as a single gay man with no partner and no kids, so long as I didn’t have plans of buying a house, a top 5% income would allow me to live a Very Good life here. Not as extravagant as it would in a cheap locale, but still, it’d be a significantly higher income than I make now. It would allow me to maybe buy a condo in the suburbs and be comfortable vs poor.

$100k incomes are pretty rare here, approx top 5%, and yet they still don’t afford one very much tbh.

in seattle, if you don't make 6 figures, you simply can't afford to live there unless you pool your income with several other folks, and many landlords in seattle won't allow income pooling, they vet your single income before allowing you to rent from them.

And real estate is more expensive here while incomes are lower. I get it, people are poor. And yet all those who stay find a way to make it work. Roommates, family, side hustles, second jobs, no car etc. Whatever they have to do.

even with a second full time job, you can't afford seattle. IOW seattle is a town only for professional people or comfortably wealthy retirees. most everybody else lives in "bedroom communities" to the south where rents are substantially lower. the jobs are 90% in seattle but nothing else is. that is why I% is perpetually jammed between olympia and seattle. even if i could still work, temperamentally i am not well-suited for working around the clock, i NEED my 8 hours done and OVERWITH so i can recuperate and get ready for the next day.

Depends how much $ people make for their time. Two minimum wage jobs = just getting by. A skilled tradesman who also works evenings and weekends could do over six figures and do just fine.

in my later rat race years, working 12+ hour shifts, i had just enough energy to drag my tired @$$ home, hop in the shower, shove a quick meal down my gullet, brush, sleep, do it all over again in the morning. eventually that wore me out.

What are the most affordable cities in the PNW?

I think that's a very good thing to fight for. I also think that men, women and people with disabilities should be getting the same pay as well and that's my bottom line.

until recently it was mason county washington, in the western half of the state. but it has unfortunately been californicated like the rest of the state, now there are fairly few real estate bargains left. the cost of living here still is the cheapest i have seen in washington. my property tax is just under about $400/year. god i hope it stays that way.

I'm on SSI and I'm trying to change that... The only place I could find an apartment based on income is this tiny village that doesn't even have a grocery store!

There is no public transportation, no taxis, no Ubers, etc...

But I can't afford a vehicle so I have to get rides places...

I did so much better living in town without a vehicle, but the apartments were both more expensive and crappier lol!

Maybe I should start looking for a place in the city when my lease is up... I moved in at the beginning of February last year, so is my lease up at the end of this month or next? This apartment has a one year lease for 12 months then after that you just need to give a 30 day notice. My internship is remote at least so technically I could do it from anywhere...

When I lived in a small city that had public transportation I didn't need rides from people at all, I just took the bus to the store and appointments in town then I'd call my insurance for out of town appointments...

But if I move where should I go, lol!! !