PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Honestly asking... Is there any data / stats to back up this claim? An incremental increase to $12/hr doesn't seem like the end of the world.

Either way, I hope we can all agree the Federal and PA minimum wage of $7.25 is an embarrassment.

Most businesses that pay their employees around the minimum wage have razor thin margins. increasing their pay 60% like that is going to hurt.
End of the world? Depends on the business. It might be for some.
data / stats to back it up? Basic math.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Most businesses that pay their employees around the minimum wage have razor thin margins. increasing their pay 60% like that is going to hurt.
End of the world? Depends on the business. It might be for some.
data / stats to back it up? Basic math.

I'd be floored if more than even 2% of employees are still being paid $7.25/hour. You'd be lucky to get any applicants, let alone keep them for any significant period of time, with such paltry wages. It's ludicrous to argue a significant business impact at this point.

Let's be real. It's 2022. Even the most lowly of positions have to be offering a couple dollars above that.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Most businesses that pay their employees around the minimum wage have razor thin margins. increasing their pay 60% like that is going to hurt.
End of the world? Depends on the business. It might be for some.
data / stats to back it up? Basic math.

This is short term thinking. Most blue progressive states have a significantly higher minimum wage. New Jersey minimum wage is over $14, same with New York. California is already ~ $15, Colorado ~$13, Massachusetts $14, etc. We'll be fine, get it done.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Most businesses that pay their employees around the minimum wage have razor thin margins. increasing their pay 60% like that is going to hurt.
End of the world? Depends on the business. It might be for some.
data / stats to back it up? Basic math.

Oh stop.

You know what else is basic math? Those businesses will have more revenue when every poor person is making an extra $4 an hour. You know why? Because poor people don't make enough to save money and every dollar they make goes back into the economy.

Do you know how much $7.25 a week is after taxes? You try to live on that.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

I'd be floored if more than even 2% of employees are still being paid $7.25/hour. You'd be lucky to get any applicants, let alone keep them for any significant period of time, with such paltry wages. It's ludicrous to argue a significant business impact at this point.

Let's be real. It's 2022. Even the most lowly of positions have to be offering a couple dollars above that.

Yeah. But you know what happens to everyone wages who's making $12 an hour, when the minimum wage is pushed up to $12? They move to $15, because now that employer needs to pay more than the minimum to get applicants.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Londonee

This is short term thinking. Most blue progressive states have a significantly higher minimum wage. New Jersey minimum wage is over $14, same with New York. California is already ~ $15, Colorado ~$13, Massachusetts $14, etc. We'll be fine, get it done.

Not just blue states. Ohio, West Virginia, and Florida (among others) have much higher minimum wages. We pay the lowest minimum wage of any state that surrounds us. It's embarrassing.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Londonee

This is short term thinking. Most blue progressive states have a significantly higher minimum wage. New Jersey minimum wage is over $14, same with New York. California is already ~ $15, Colorado ~$13, Massachusetts $14, etc. We'll be fine, get it done.

I just got back from CA. I’d probably do the opposite of whatever it is they’re doing there. LA is a total mess and they just voted for more of it lol.

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by Londonee

This is short term thinking. Most blue progressive states have a significantly higher minimum wage. New Jersey minimum wage is over $14, same with New York. California is already ~ $15, Colorado ~$13, Massachusetts $14, etc. We'll be fine, get it done.

Who's "we"?

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Not just blue states. Ohio, West Virginia, and Florida (among others) have much higher minimum wages. We pay the lowest minimum wage of any state that surrounds us. It's embarrassing.

Shouldn't have a minimum wage at all. You can't legislate the value of a person's work to his employer. It should be market driven.

[mcgrath618]

Chicago's minimum wage is $14.75 an hour.

[el don]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Shouldn't have a minimum wage at all. You can't legislate the value of a person's work to his employer. It should be market driven.

This would also strengthen unions. Although, seeing how the railroad workers are being scalped at the moment, I'm not sure it would matter much.

I would love to see a study on what happens when minimum wage is raised in these cities/states everyone is mentioning. I'd be curious to see if the price of goods inflates to counteract the wage growth, which would pretty much negate the whole thing.

[iheartphilly]

^
We have a real world study now in front of our eyes with inflation on everything from food to housing costs and everything in between, due to money previously pumped into the financial system because of the pandemic. Not even on a great scale like this, some businesses must raise prices on their products and services, especially those kinds of businesses that have razor thin profit margins or operate on borrowed credit, if they are forced to pay a higher wage. To be clear, I am in favor of higher wages, but if you are running a small business in certain sectors that have inherent risks and costs not in your control, higher wages is a real issue you have to confront to determine if your business can thrive or not.

[arkitect13]

^^ Ultimately (cant find right now) most results point to an increase of wages generally does help lower the poverty rate, crime, I'm unsure, I haven't been able to find anything on that, but its generally accepted that a lower poverty rate generally brings crime down. Considering the way Philly has its crime I cant imagine it will fix a lot of it, but it would lower a fair amount in a few years I'm sure

[DeltaNerd]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Shouldn't have a minimum wage at all. You can't legislate the value of a person's work to his employer. It should be market driven.

Market Driven, Thank you for making me laugh and spitting out my coffee.
You mean all the layoffs that the companies are doing now after record profits? Well the market today is unaffordable and companies are not matching. Large business value cutting cost and well it's working for the companies. The railroad industry is about to collapse with poor pay and no mandatory paid time off.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

^ All I know is many of these candidates are no bueno. After 4 years of Kenny, we cannot afford another dud.

YOu know enough about ALL of them to say none are adequate? Wow, thats impressive at this early juncture.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Shouldn't have a minimum wage at all. You can't legislate the value of a person's work to his employer. It should be market driven.

DO you feel the same about child labor laws and 40 hour weeks? Corporations were against both before the government stepped in. the "market" apparently didn't have an issue with sweat shops and frequent workplace injuries and death before regulations were in place.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Redddog

For me, I'll take anyone but Gym.

Unfortunately, I bet she's the front-runner, if Krasner's landslide re-election is any indication, which I'm not sure of given the anemic turnout.

I hope I'm wrong.

(cue the "you're wrong" comments)

Krasner had minimal competition and interest in that race was low. I think interest in this primary will be quite high and I dont think we should assume everyone in the race today will be in the race by May. Polling and fundraising will drive some out of this race. Philadelphia is a very diverse place in terms of income, race, priorities etc. I wouldn't assume that someone like Gym who is a darling in the progressive circles has strong support citywide. I also think any candidate who misjudges the appetite for more accountability on the crime issue in Philadelphia's most dangerous neighborhoods will have no chance of winning.

[summersm343]

There’s really no reason minimum wage can’t be raised to $15 an hour in PA.

[summersm343]

In my opinion, the best mayoral candidates are in this order:

Rebecca Rhynhart
Allan Domb
Derek Green
Jeff Brown
Cherelle Parker
Maria Quinones-Sanchez
Helen Gym

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

Well, here's the answer to my earlier post. Looks like we will see a 7 story building rise near the corner of 13th and Vine:

Love it!