Rep. Sara Lampe supports a ballot initiative that would raise Missouri's minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 an hour because she believes it will help combat the root of many of the problems in the state's education system: poverty.
"The root of so much of what is happening, even in inner city St. Louis schools stems from poverty," said Lampe, the #138th district representative.
Lampe's Republican challenger, Steve Helms is opposed to a minimum wage hike because of its impact on business.
"The problem with the amendment as I see it is that there's no cap or limit, that it can be raised," Helms said, referring to the clause that adjusts the wage for inflation in years to come.
Helms said he recently attended a Chamber of Commerce meeting that warned of the consequences of an increasing wage without a cap. "[They said] if we had enacted this amendment 5 years ago, based on the inflation index they're using, it would be $8.50 today, and $8.50 would hurt a lot of people," Helms said.
But when asked if he believed a wage hike would hurt the local economy, Helms said he didn't think so.
On the other hand, I asked Lampe "who makes $5.15 anymore?" and that touched off this exchange (edited for clarity):
Lampe - The University pays that. I was just speaking to a group of kids at the university last week and somebody said that, 'good grief, who makes $5.15?' And they said, 'I do. I work in an office at MSU.' So I don't know where else that is but my point is, it's also a way of saying, if we raise the minimum wage, perhaps it will push the rest of that up.
Catanese - Why not make it $10 an hour?
Lampe - Hey, I'm ok with that . . . (laughs). If you have to work 2 jobs to pay the bills, it's not about being personally responsible, it's about saying, I'm not making enough money to make that work. I believe in the free-market economy. I believe we oughta pay for what we get. If that means we have to pay the worker more or pay business more to pay that worker, I believe we have to pay for that. That is how America works.
Catanese - Have you heard anything from businesses, that it may hurt them?
Lampe - I have not. But I'm a Democrat and I may not be hearing that. I am trying to get the Chamber endorsement but I haven't gotten that yet. It comes back to what you think the role of government is. Are we supposed to protect people? Are we supposed to make sure the way people are treated is fair and equitable, so that we can all achieve the American Dream? I think it's a good argument for us to get into.
2 comments:
The University pays 5.15 because it is a work study program. Lampe should have known this and not tried so hard to spin the issue. If you do not like that then go to McDonald's and get 6.00 an hour. Willow Brook is almost always hiring and they pay well. But it seems most are to good to gut turkeys. Bass Prp shops wharehouse is alwyays hiring but people quit because they can't handle an honest days labor. There are higher paying jobs, but it requires you to get off the couch.
I would like to have a little more detail about who would be hurt if the minimum wage was $8.50.Who are those people the Chamber of Commerce is so worried about? The Chamber of Commerce doesn't speak for the people who would be making that wage. Your agenda is to help business. Fair enough. But please, no crocodile tears on behalf of the working poor.
Charles
Post a Comment