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$15 Minimum Wage In Florida?
July 23, 2015
Bills started getting filed for the 2016 legislative session Wednesday, with Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, proposing a measure (SB 6) that would raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Bullard filed a somewhat-similar proposal during the 2015 session to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, but the bill was never taken up in committees. The state’s minimum wage, which gradually increases each year, hit $8.05 in January.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
50 Responses to “$15 Minimum Wage In Florida?”
i make 8 .05 a hour i think the wages should go up to 15 a hour…because my electric bill is more then my pay check…..i only bring home 220 a week and my electric bill was 405 during summer months…..it hard to survive on 8 05 a hour
If everybody gets a skill and get an education and that is great.. then you would not have people to pick up the garbage… everybody cannot be a doctor everybody cannot be a lawyer but everybody can take home a proper salary… $15 an hour in the state of Florida is still small… that should be ASAP
I hope $15/hr goes through; independent contractors will be able to do the job at a commensurate rate of $12/hr. No one will get hired because companies smart enough to sub out EVERYTHING will not hire employees any more. No income tax preparation. No monthly employment tax. No need to be a corporation at all; everything will become small LLC. This means MORE tax breaks. Lower overhead, lower direct labor = more profit = better product.
And another benefit, no jobs to the entitled means it will drive our social services to the breaking point, and we can start over.
There shouldn’t be a minimum wage at all. Make what you’re worth. If everyone were an independent contractor, then we would get the best possible product at the best possible price. Of course the big hurdle to get over with this model is teaching Floridians what it means to show up for work on time [everyday], do your job and don’t steal or lie.
When you have to work for a company that makes all the execs rich and you are working for very low wages it is a sad country these execs only care about themselves not the people who work soo hard to enable them to take their big paychecks at 64 it’s really hard to get a different job nobody cares about us the greed of execs is a shame they definitely need to raise minimum wage try to live on 220. A week see how you feel
I agree with BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR and PATROT.
I have seen the price increases resulting from a minimum wage increase, back in the late 1990s. The problem is that there are too many uneducated people in the work force, and simply too many people for the job market. We have an eighteen trillion dollar deficit and more people coming to America’s job market day.
It makes as much sense forcing a $15.00 minimum wage, as it would putting them all on welfare, and having the Federal Reserve print up the money to pay them.
Be careful what you ask for……. The problem with increasing minimum wage is this. 1) you will do away with the middle class. How you ask. Yes jobs like Walmart and Wendy’s will increase their pay but the jobs tha are above the minimum wage will not increase their pay. In Order to pay minimum wage your $6 value meal will now be $10, gallon of milk is now $7 or $8 dollars. So do you really get a raise an excuse for the big businesses to raise prices. 2) if these businesses don’t raise prices you will see self serve registers not just in Walmart but fast food and gas stations already starting in California. More robots and computers less jobs more people on welfare. For those who think more robots will create more jobs, I come from the automotive industry. 7 robots replaced the jobs of 200 people with 1 mantinance person responsible for seven computers. Be Careful What You Ask For
It’s pathetic that minimum wage opponents believe that $15/hr is too high. I made $12.50/hr 15 years ago without a HS diploma answering phones along with 150 other teenage knuckleheads. Prices will not go up significantly (this is a scare tactic don’t buy it), a few businesses that pay slave wages who were on the brink will have to close their doors sooner than later, robots have been automating for decades and more robots means more jobs to create and repair robots, this is called progress, and a way to get people off of welfare, and finally the tax bracket argument (really? lol!).
For as long as these Firefighters/EMS spend YEARS of their life training to protect us for LESS than $15 I will not support someone who complains about their wage that have a pay the bills job and not a career.
Plenty of resources out their that can babysit someone along the way of budgeting and saving money, I suggest that before a legislative plea for more money in their wallet.
You want an improvement of salary, you make an improvement in your education.
The minimum wage was put in place to combat the rising price of goods caused by the rising costs of manufactured goods in America brought on my union wage increases. Ever since unions demanded higher wages without a valid economic reason it caused the price of goods to rise. Early on unions were involved in every sector of American manufacturing. Steel, Lumber, Iron, Coal, transportation, etc. Everything we made in America was affected by union wage increases. This affected the purchasing power of all Americans, particularly those who were not getting these wage increases. It took a while for regular American wages to catch up. As soon as they started to do so the unions wanted higher wages again. Pretty soon the union wage pressures were increasing faster than the common worker, and so they passed the minimum wage.
Now that we have government unions and the cost of regulation continues to grow, they want to pass a huge minimum wage. This is all bad policy and will not solve the problem. Higher minimum wages means higher prices, higher tax revenue, and commensurately higher government wage rates.
This is all a false driver of growth in America and should not be encouraged.
raising the minimum wage is a great idea if you work but think about the number of people in fl that are retired living on fixed income if you increase wages then retail prices go up example fuel prices go up transporation cost go up retail price goes up wages are a cost factor to be figured in the final cost of an item so what about the people on fixed income S S raises are based on inflation not on retail price of items .to charlie planning for retirement is a great thing i did that i had over a quarter of a million and lost it when the stock market crashed now i have to pay for everything with S S and it is not easy now consider the fact that we have so many millionares in our state gov. they do not have any idea what it is like for the common people
It does not matter the job. A job is a job. These people in fast food are cooking up the food,cleaning up the spills and keeping you safe when you dine in and they are still paid a horrible wage. It’s not just McDonalds or WalMart keeping these people in poverty either. It is also Uncle Sam. The minimum wage needs to be raised to where people can survive.
We are the weathiest country in the history of the world. The problem is the wealth lies in the hands of only a few. Time to redistribute and close the wealth gap. No one should have to live in poverty.
Good this needs to happen. I’m tired of breaking by body for $10 an hour.
There should be no minimum or maximum wage. If you don’t want to work for what agreed, then don’t take the job.
Sure it would be great to raise it to $15 an hour, yes you will pay more in taxes but I’d rather pay more. If I had a choice to pay $5000 to the IRS or $25,000 I would much rather pay the $25,000,, go ahead call me stupid I’m fine with that, , go ahead and make your $30,000 and pay your $5000 to Uncle Sam , I prefer to make $100,000 and pay the $25k. These are the same people that would rather take $1,000,000 immediately than wait 30 days and let a penny double every day for a month and be rewarded with $5,500,000 do the math
One problem with Florida is the cost of living is so different in the north part of the state compared to the southern part. What seems like a lot of money in Pensacola probably isn’t that much in Miami or Orlando. For our part of the state I think a $9.75 minimum wage would be fair, while it probably should be around $11 for the higher populated parts of the state.
Wow, the ignorance that is patently clear and expressed as fact by the socialist mindset of those that think we should all make tons of money no matter your skill set is appalling. To those I would say when you make 15 bucks an hour I will be happy to clean your house for the same. After all everyone knows it’s the poor that employ the rich. And for those of you that don’t believe higher wages couldn’t possibly do any harm should perhaps take note of the “automated” auto industry in Detroit. Thanks to out of control special interests unions who clamored for higher and higher wages for their poor oppressed employees, (after all the rich employers shouldn’t make more money than those they employ).Employees have in part been replaced by robotics, the infrastructure in many areas no longer exists because city governments cannot pay salaries for public services, but hey, you can buy a home for next to nothing. I agree with Mr. Green, let’s not stop at a measley $15 an hour. I will vote for the guy that will give me a million bucks an hour. I mean isn’t that how it’s supposed to work, whatever puts me ahead and to heck with anybody else? Those old folks on fixed incomes need to remember when bread goes to $7.50 a loaf that eating is overrated anyway.
One last thing. My sister used to work in the payroll department of a construction company. Her boss told he was shocked at how many employees wanted to turn down scheduled pay raises or overtime pay, as it would put them in a different (much higher) tax bracket & actually result in a take home pay net loss. How many with an increase to $15 will see much higher taxes taken out & also the loss of an ObamaCare subsidy? Do you really think jobs won’t be lost & the price of many things won’t go up in order to adjust. Skilled people now making $15 will certainly expect to then get $25 or more an hour. Of course they probably won’t get it with the present unemployment figures. (I personally believe they are much higher than officially posted on news sites). Believe what you will. Only time will prove or disprove me.
@Sandy—What studies? Certainly none I have seen. As others have stated, minimum wage jobs were NEVER intended to be a living wage for anyone. They were meant to be entry level temporary jobs for unskilled people just entering the workforce, (or college kids wanting seasonal money to help pay for school) or for retired people (who didn’t plan properly for retirement) wanting an extra income, but not a full time job again. It is the same thing as Social Security. That was always intended to be only a supplement & not something to use totally to retire on. I guess we should now double that so folks can retire properly on just that. There is cause & effect. You are naïve if you don’t think there will be an effect from this if it does happen. Nothing remains static when something is changed. I remember when Canada & NY State dramatically raised the price of cigarettes, thinking they would get millions more in revenue. They actually lost money, as things (buyers habits) did not remain static as they assumed. Many businesses operate on a slimmer profit margin than many assume. There are stockholders that expect a return on their investment for use as retirement money or other purposes. Do you know it now cost on average around 2 Million dollars to open even an average fast food restaurant? That owner expects to be able to pay that back & also make a profit. Not very many business owners are considered to be rich, although some seem to think so. They got educated & worked their butt off to get what they earned. Good luck on $15 not having any negative effect.
@ Sandy – please relate to all of us which studies you are referring to. Also, I see just fine.
@no excuses studies have already shown that raising minimum wage to $15 an hour would have a positive impact. So take your stupid economics class and throw it away and quit being blind.
I am a blue coller worker and make about $1,100 per week. I also served 10 yrs in prison for numerous robbery charges. I was a stupid 16 yr old kid. Yet i deserved what i got. I have no college degree and am not rich by any means. However, i am very smart, can do anything better than most in a short time, and work hard.
All you bleeding heart, love everyone, we’re all equal folks are killing this country. If you want more money or a better paying job, go get it. Stop complaining about circumstances and do something about it. Make a change. Yet despite all your efforts, you may still wind up poor or have a crappy job. That’s just how it goes. If you had only good times and never knew bad, you’d never appreciate anything in life because you wouldn’t know any different.
It boils down to this, cry and whine all you like. Everyone can’t be a lawyer, doctor, or CEO. Somebody has to be poor. Somebody has to be in crappy jobs. Somebody has to be the loser, everyone can’t win but thats how you fools are trying to make this world. And to you drug dealers and thieves, your not a” baller”. Everybody can’t be a kingpin. All sellers and no users huh ? All of you just be happy with your lot in life and try to make a better way for your kids. Quit complaining.
So many people living at or just above poverty level would be able to do so much better with a minimum wage hike to $15. an hour. That really is the bottom line. We will do better.
If minimum wages were calculated today using the same criteria as when it was created, the minimum wage today would be well above $15/hr. Some will whine. Some will complain. But we’ll all adjust in time. I remember not so long ago everybody said “when gas gets over $1 a gallon nobody will buy it.”
Raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and you’ll get to see fully automated burger joints. The technology is here to accomplish just that, and one chain is running a fully automated store in Japan as a test. Just punch your order in on a touch screen, swipe your EBT, Debit, or Credit card, and pick your order up at the pick up window, and you don’t even get to be treated badly by surly employees. There is a point where it will be cost effective to spend the money on such technology. Any other industries that can, will move their operations overseas. Look what happened to the garment industry not so many years ago. Let’s face it, $15 an hour for unskilled jobs will price many more Americans out of the workplace.
CONTEMPLATING:
“The minimum wage (price) is a symptom of the economy. It is not a DRIVER of the economy. I cannot believe so many people think that this will drive inflation. Hopefully it will pull people into jobs. It certainly will not drive up the cost of all goods.”
Minimum wage is not price.
It is a legal barrier to hiring anyone for less than a certain amount of money.
If a thing is worth more than minimum wage would make it cost to you to get it, you will get it.
If a thing is worth less than minimum wage would make it cost to you to get it, you will not get it.
Obviously some jobs would pay more than they do right now because the payer considers them worth that to him or her.
Obviously some jobs will no longer exist because they cost more than the payer is willing to pay.
With any luck, this will result in more robots to do the things currently done by unskilled laborers. Eventually, this may lead to the replacement of all human labor with robots. We all need more robots. (at least one)
It definitely won’t create new jobs to take more money out of available resources to pay more for less or the same amount for much less.
The important thing, though, is that it would force the school system to pay ME more than they do right now just to pay me as much to drive a school bus as they will have to pay to hire someone with no job skills whatsoever.
This will require higher taxes on your part to pay me more, but you don’t mind because you are so generous. It doesn’t really make anyone’s job skills more valuable, just mandates that money is worth less than it already was for the same work.
It assumes money comes from the moolah fairy.
David for a million dollars per hour for unemployed humans
and cheap robots
@Lisa,
Study basic economics before you start accusing people of not caring for those in poverty. I am a REPUBLICAN and I work with the unteachables and the unlovables as well as those in poverty every day. I am educated and I care. Raising the minimum wage will only raise the cost of everything else and the story will remain the same for those in poverty.
Specifically, study the principals of supply and demand as well as skilled vs unskilled labor.
Doubtful. Republicans are stuck in this mindset of keeping people down. Sen Bullard you have my vote. Thank you for caring about your fellow humans. I agree with DeAngelo. These business owners are greedy. They want people to work hard for next to nothing. $15 dollars an hour lets go!
The minimum wage (price) is a symptom of the economy. It is not a DRIVER of the economy. I cannot believe so many people think that this will drive inflation. Hopefully it will pull people into jobs. It certainly will not drive up the cost of all goods. Shame on the people who think that minimum wage hikes are not deserved or worked for. You have not seen any employers keep minimum wage employees on JUST BECAUSE they are cheap, have you?
Actually Lisa, probably not all are Republicans, but more than likely all with a higher education.
Those who are against this are greedy and selfish people who care nothing of those living in poverty. Probably all republicans.
@James R:
You are right that it won’t help with government assistance but the cost of living in those cities are much higher than in this part of Florida right now. If Florida would keep the cost of living around what it is now, this could be a good thing if managed correctly. If not, then you are right nothing is going to change for the better.
Everybody in Atmore will be trying to get a job at the Piggly Wiggly. LOL
If you couldn’t lI’ve on minimum wage in 2004 ($5.15) and you can’t live on it now ($8.05)… how do you think you’ll live on it when/if it increases to $15? The cost of EVERYTHING increases when minimum wage increases. We all know that…
I love the idea. These business owners and CEOs are just plain greedy. Why should the rich get richer and the poor remain poor. I love the idea and it has my full support.
When an employer pays you minimum wage they are basically saying if I could pay you less I would. Pay your employees a living wage and stop being greedy. This guy has my vote!
I work for Escambia County and don’t make $15/hr. I make more than the current minimum wage but less than $15/hr. I have a skill set in Supply/Transportation. Why should a person coming in off the streets with no skill set or experience (years) make more than I should? How does that make sense?
Does that mean that skilled people who work for the State of Florida will receive a pay hike? If non skilled workers start receiving more than skilled, I think I’d go for a minium wage job. Just saying!
If you want higher pay, learn a skill or get an education. You can teach a monkey to make a hamburger or bag groceries. Just what do you think will happen to the cost of things if a business has to pay a moron $15 an hour. A hamburger will cost $15 and who will buy it ?
That’s a great idea. Why should the rich get richer and pay their employees next to nothing.
Don- Exactly right…. When a Big Mac costs $9 and there are only 3 employees at McDonalds, we will see what this wage increase will cost us.
A $15 per hour wage is crazy. Minimum wage work was never designed to be a career-job. It is an entry-level position. If it does go to $15 per hour, it will result in layoffs and increased prices to cover the cost. Business owners will pass on the cost increase and lay off workers.
It’s about time they get this done. Everyone who works full time should be able to survive and that cannot happen with what minimum wage is currently.
An AP story came out yetserday that Seattle’s $15/hr minimum wage recipients are asking managers for fewer hours so that they don’t become disqualified for state and federal handouts due to having too high an income. Really?
Idiots – Does this dump A”" know that most skilled blue collar workers don’t make that. A lot of companies don’t pay skilled labor that just got hired on much more than that. All this will do is make everything else soar in price. If I can make $15.00 flipping burgers with no responsibility then why would I want to go to school to learn a skilled trade STUPID, STUPID The is why we need to get new people in all the elected offices with common sense, they are just a bunch of idiots. “God help Us”
I live in Florida but work in Alabama wish it would go up in Alabama tired driving to Atmore for little pay.
Buying votes again.
Look how well things are going in the states that did raise the wage. Washington, California are prospering.(sarcasm)
And a load of bread will cost $11.00 it’s all relative.
At $15 an hour I’ll expect perfection when I order my burger. Never gonna happen but it sounds good Sen.Bullard.
Look at Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, where $15/hour minimum wage has been enacted. Practically no decrease in government assistance and subsidy programs. Rather, the employees are requesting fewer hours in order to stay below the maximum threshold to receive government assistance and subsidy programs.
Why stop at $15 Senator Bullard? Raise the minimum wage to $100! We’ll all be rich!!