1st District Assemblyman Brian Dahle voted against a massive minimum-wage increase Thursday that he says will “upend rural economies.”
Following on a 25 percent increase in the state minimum wage in just the past two years, the plan — which Dahle’s office says was negotiated behind closed doors, announced Monday and rushed through the Legislature in just three days — will raise the minimum hourly pay from $10 to $15 over the next several years.
“This will put an extraordinary burden on small and medium businesses and entry-level workers trying to get on the job ladder. It is especially troubling that this is another burden on the elderly and fixed income people who have seen their energy, food, taxes and health care costs go up double digits in the past 5 years.” Dahle said. “In many industries there’s simply no way to recover these higher costs. The Legislature can raise California’s minimum wages, but global markets set prices. We lose out to states that are not conducting economic human experimentation.”
San Francisco and the City of Los Angeles have already approved $15 minimum wages, but both the cost of living and typical incomes are higher in those regions. In rural areas, where homes are relatively affordable and a dollar goes further, the higher wage will shock the economic system. Even labor-friendly economists who promote this increase say the effects will be worse for rural areas.
“There are so many other things the Legislature could do to reduce the cost of living and help poor people. This bill will put more people out of work and do nothing to reduce the historic level of poverty in California. I am angry and baffled that this is the direction they have chosen to go. I know people who this will hurt and I am sorry the State has decided to put the interest of the few ahead of the good of the many. If I could vote no 100 times I would.” Dahle said.
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