Governor Dan Malloy strode into Bridgeport on Tuesday speaking to a few hundred members of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council about the need to increase the minimum wage, even though he knew it would fall flat to the business community lunch crowd. Didn’t matter. That’s because the governor was addressing an audience outside the room … female voters who are the dominant voting bloc in Connecticut, particularly female urban voters he’ll need for reelection. It’s a message he’ll carry until election day.
In the state’s largest city, female voters outflank male voters by close to 20 percentage points. And that’s the audience Malloy will need if he’s to be reelected to another four-year term. Malloy wasn’t bashful appealing to female voters at the Holiday Inn Downtown.
“If you want to let women out of poverty in the United States, raise the minimum wage. Sixty percent of the people earning the minimum wage in our state are women. You want to make sure there’s more money going into the local economy? Raise the minimum wage. And the folks making the minimum wage aren’t investing in Wall Street. They’re paying their bills and they’re buying the books and shoes that their children need.”
Raising the minimum wage is a Democratic battle cry both on the federal and state level. Campaign strategists see this as an issue that can make a difference. In Connecticut, Malloy proposes to step the minimum hourly wage to $10.10 over the next three years. It’s a theme he’s sure to hammer home in Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven and other urban areas he’ll need in what is expected to be a competitive reelection. In fact, Malloy announced his support for an increase in the minimum wage in Bridgeport a few weeks ago. It requires, and will get, approval from the Democratic-controlled state legislature.
The Bridgeport Regional Business Council, consistent with business community constituencies, isn’t crazy about increases in the minimum wage that amount to government mandates to elevate costs. When is enough enough? How much more government intrusion can we take? We can’t afford this.
Male voters, generally speaking, are easy to figure out: raise my taxes I punch you in the nose. Malloy has raised taxes. Female voters, however, process information through a different filter. What’s my future with you in charge? What’s my standard of living? Is my kid safe in school? I’m a single mom with kids to feed, are you helping me?”
Welcome to the world of reelection campaigns. This is how it works: Malloy appealing to a constituency he needs and his eventual Republican opponent trying to counter it.
I voted for Malloy in 2010 and I sure will not be making that mistake again in 2014. I am pro second amendment and believe gun laws do not work because criminals do not care about laws and big cities have strict gun laws yet have high gun crimes. All gun laws do is make it harder for a law-abiding citizen to protect themselves. This is my main reason from moving away from the Democratic party and becoming a Libertarian because I am socially liberal and fiscally conservative. I might not even vote for Jim Himes this time around either. Malloy is a socialist.
Well, urban males vote Democrat for the most part and I do believe he will lost a big chunk of us including me. Malloy will not get 80% of the vote in Bridgeport like most Democrats have been doing for the past six years. No good-paying jobs in CT, high taxes, if you want a decent-paying job you have to travel to NY for work. Malloy is a joke.
donj,
Vote Line C, 9 real people for the community.
Don’t forget to bring the whole family to support the most diverse and experienced group ever to challenge the status quo.
Could you believe Obama is coming to Connecticut to push this minimum wage show? Did you notice during the State of the State Address and the Washington press briefing this week, Malloy stated the minimum wage would provide $404 for workers?
First, someone needs to explain to him not all people working for any amount of wage gets to work 40 hours a week. He automatically assumes everyone who will be working for a $10.10 per hour minimum wage works 40 hours a week in order to make $404 a week. It sounds like they will also be getting paid under the table–his figure doesn’t include any deductions or taxes. Jindal was right when he stated it’s not enough to just raise the minimum wage.
What really bothers me is three years ago, Obama signed the AIA bill into law. This is the America Invent Act. One aspect of the act calls for States to set up a Pro Bono program for small entrepreneurs/inventors who have ideas to patent but can’t afford the high cost of Patent Attorney Services or $15,000 to $30,000 depending on the complexity of the invention. California, Colorado, North Carolina and New York are among the few States who have already started their Pro Bono program. It would have been nice if Malloy had been paying attention to this as much as he was paying attention when the words “minimum wage” came out of Obama’s mouth. As I understand it, the New York Pro Bono program is a regional implementation. Is Connecticut part of the region or do I have to be a New York resident to apply? Not a soul in Connecticut can answer this simple question. As usual, I’m on my own. donj, talk to your family about March 4, and voting for Line C. See you there?
Joel, it’s easy to find out about the Pro Bono program. Apply. They will either accept your application or tell you you can’t, and you’ll have your answer.
This is the first time you heard of it and yet you think you know enough to tell me how to approach the situation. Notice I mentioned the regional aspect of it. I’m taking the steps I can at the moment as my schedule allows. I live in Connecticut, why should I have to seek help from another state? I’m sure if or when I do, that State will try to sway me to do business in their state. The AIA hopes all 50 States have their programs running. Is Connecticut going to be the last in this category too? Here is a link and if you search AIA, you should be able to read more on it and I hope Malloy’s people learn something new that’s actually old. See if your can find Nancy Wyman in a photo op. That may explain why they’re dropping the ball:
www .uspto.gov
This will be a good legacy for MALLOY. Raising the minimum wage for people who for the most part are second incomes for their families or part-time teenage workers. So far he has managed to have many, many people move out of Connecticut. He has done squat to reduce state taxes on gasoline, has not properly regulated utilities and the list goes on. A vote for Malloy is a vote for higher taxes.
Andy, raising the minimum wage to $10.10 will not increase the workforce. To the contrary, the CBO has determined nationally doing so will cost about 500,000 jobs as employers will cut back to be able to pay. Minimum wage is an entry-level pay and not meant to be a career or living wage. Without the incentive to work harder, do better, or improve oneself’s position within a company, the lazy and inept will wallow at that minimum level.
Malloy shows up in Bridgeport to campaign much like the craters in the roads will be fixed when Finch runs for re election.
First you have to find out who makes minimum wage. That would be people on benefits, people on social security, teenagers and second-income people (working moms). Then you have to think about how raising minimum wage will affect them. Teenagers will make out. They will have more money to buy pot and beer. Working moms will be better off as well. People on benefits or social security will be hurt. At some income level the benefits are reduced or turned off. Social security takes $0.50 for every $1.00 you make after you make $15,480. After taxes, travel and lunch, etc. you would be better off not working. The benefit person has a similar issue. Is $30-$40 dollars a week worth losing my Medicare, T-19, WIC, Welfare, SSI, or whatever? They will probably end up quitting or reducing their hours to compensate. Many minimum wage stats say ‘people making minimum wage or less.’ The ‘or less’ part is bartenders and waitstaff. They will be unaffected because minimum wage laws do not apply to them. They do, however, throw off the minimum wage stats because many women are waitresses. This pushes the number of people making ‘minimum wage or less’ towards women.
How does this affect business and what business does it affect? Every dollar in payroll is about a $2.00/hr/worker increase in costs through payroll taxes. They will have three choices: raise prices, cut hours or eliminate the position. Large companies like McDonald’s and Walmart already pay more than minimum wage. This raise will mean those workers will now be making minimum wage. Look for a sharp increase in the number of people making minimum wage just after the wage is increased. Mom and pop places that pay minimum wage will be forced to suck up this increase, making them less competitive with the large chains than they already are. This will drive a lot of small business, like your local bodega and farmacia, out. This is really just a tax increase on small business.
Unintended consequences: many union contracts have their wage tied to minimum wage. If this goes through most union people will also get an unscheduled and negotiated raise. I am not sure if city unions have this clause in their contracts, but imagine the plight of the city and taxpayers if a 21% increase in minimum wage means all union workers get a 21% raise. City workers are already looking at 10 furlough days or a ~4% decrease in pay. To offset the 21% increase and save the same amount of money each worker would have to take ~62.5 furlough days or face layoffs. Both these options would mean a drastic reduction in services. Imagine what this will mean to any unionized business in CT, and you say that Republicans are trying to break the unions.
Malloy and the other Democratic members of the State and Federal delegation have done nothing to bring jobs to the State or Park City. These cretins think if they talk about education long enough and with enough money placed into budgets this will suffice.
Their damn medical plan has put people into the system, but who can they see? Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners. That’s two years of diagnostic and treatment education. It takes an MD seven years minimum for the same training. Burn incense and pray to Zeus and your chances for better health will be about equal.
If the people want to prosper and thrive with jobs, throw the Bastards out of office!!!
Connecticut is a particularly anti-business state. The high rate of taxes, licenses, fees and regulations have driven manufacturing and industry elsewhere. What Connecticut needs is a smaller state government, true part-time legislators, and someone with business sense to run the state without the cronyism and good-old-boy system. Term Limits will solve about 50-60% of that.
This is a Hartford Courant tear-jerker of a Sec of Labor speaking in CT about minimum wage:
www .courant.com/business/hc-minimum-wage-secretary-of-labor-20140224,0,5561476.story
All the examples speak volumes about poverty in CT and the US. Always neat to see professional ass-kissers like Blumenthal and Murphy weigh in with their oh so compassionate fervor!
You have to read the first commenter’s posting, “The one trend that appeared in every story was having children outside of marriage … having children outside of marriage is ticket to poverty.”
Looking at the various anecdotes of these “working poor,” if the food stamps, rental assistance and Earned Income Tax that they are receiving are factored in, what does that mean in terms of hourly wage and being above or below the poverty level?
As one Hartford Courant commenter stated, “keeping your legs crossed” may be the best way to stay out of poverty.
The length politicians go to help their unqualified friends is amazing using taxpayer money.
Two latest rumors (I repeat, rumors) are Tiagos is going under and they are creating a job as Assistant Director of Public Works for the owner and they created a $90k job for another friend as a Recycling Specialist.
Only in Bridgeport.
*** BPT REBEL *** True story is the rumor, also questions arose on how did they have carte blanche to serve booze at McLeavy Green and public sidewalks during events without permits? *** The Big Payback! ***
It is very sad Paul Timpanelli, president and CEO of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council and the rest of the members of Bridgeport Regional Business Council would vote 29 to 8 against raising the minimum wage in Connecticut. From $8.70 per hour to $10.10 per hour over three years. To think this is overpaying poor working people and their families in Fairfield County and the same poor working people who patronize the businesses that are members of Bridgeport Regional Business Council just shows the greed of these businessmen. The current $8.70 would rise to $9.15 next Jan. 1, to $9.60 a year later, and then to $10.10 on Jan. 1, 2017. That’s year one $0.45 or 5%, year two $0.45 or 4.9%, and year three $0.50 or 4.9% over three years. I would like the Connecticut Post to publish the names of the companies that voted against the raising of the minimum wage in Connecticut. It would be good to know the names of companies that feel workers should not receive a living wage so I could take my business to companies that pay a living wage to their workers in Connecticut. The members of Bridgeport Regional Business Council are just plain cheap. The only reason they do pay the minimum wage to their workers is because it is the law, if they could pay less they would.
James–You are misdefining ‘wage.’ Wage is the fair market value of your labor. It has nothing to do with how much it costs you to live. If, at any time, you feel you are not being fairly compensated for your labor you are free to go work someplace else. If you cannot get enough for your labor to support the life style you would like, YOU have to increase the value of your labor through self-improvement.
James,
You should read the Hartford Courant article I posted above.
All for everybody doing well but let’s keep everything in perspective. Assume somebody is working minimum wage 40 hours a week, $900 Section 8 voucher, $400 food stamps, and $333 monthly from Earned Income Tax Credit, the average hourly wage is $19 an hour, $3025 month.
Income tax–nada.
Not a huge amount I agree, but spare me your outrage.
I find it interesting the Governor delivers the minimum wage message to an audience that opposes it. Wouldn’t it be smarter to share the news with those who will benefit most? And those women of single-parent families mentioned earlier were not in the BRBC audience, were they?
But that same Governor has helped Mayor Finch bury the revaluation that was in order for this year. The revaluation that was completed late, sent to the City so the POLITICIANS could review it but 99.9% of taxpayers who paid for it DO NOT GET TO SEE IT. Why not? Well if residence values overall fell, and if they fell more seriously than BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY then is it any wonder those BRBC folks (who live in the suburbs anyway) voted their pocketbooks and decided if the mil rate rises their taxes go up? Smart business.
Finally there is the whole subject of retirement plans for City workers through CTMERF. With the addition of Police and Fire active to the CTMERF, the potential for those folks getting enlarged pension benefits opened up. All they have to do is earn enough overtime over three years of their career and if those three doubled their base, then they have doubled their retirement income AND THAT COULD GO ON FOR A PERIOD LONGER THAN THEIR WORKING YEARS!!! Think about it. Who is funding that potential enlarged retirement benefit? Malloy or Finch? In either case it means us, but have either of them or a delegate told us about it? Has anyone on our City Council found an answer? Does it matter? You bet it does. And in the meantime the City had deficits in their generous overtime accounts for public safety people of $8 Million in the 2013 Fiscal Year. How accountable is the Mayor? What will he say about this GREEN subject? Are their more Bridgeport residents who vote than City resident public safety employees who can vote? Time will tell.
*** It should already be at $10 an hour for the minimum wage, especially in this high cost of living economy throughout the nation where the price of everything except the average working person’s paycheck continues to rise! If not, the continued economic difference will become farther and farther away from each other, thus affecting millions of people and forcing those just on the edge of poverty today into homelessness tomorrow! *** LORD HELP US! ***
The average person does not make minimum wage. They pay it and it hurts them the most. The fact many unions have tied their wages to minimum wage will hurt the ‘average worker.’ Take this example. Walmart (non-union) will have to give a few people a 21% raise. Stop&Shop (union) will have to give EVERY worker a 21% raise. How is Stop&shop going to remain union, employ the same number of people, keep competitive prices and compete with Walmart? Say goodbye to a health insurance providing union job and hello to more Walmart workers.
*** Let’s face it, means of self=improvement towards better financial gains does not affect or apply to everybody. Sometimes in life, you’re either stuck or have run out of time and luck to be able to change your hand or game; so you must play the hand you were dealt or simply walk away. Then there are those with a work slave mentality who will always be against any minimum wage increases with claims it would only hurt the small business owners and not big businesses that always seem to be moving overseas to make bigger profits! Maybe if the minimum wage were better, all those non-filled jobs at fast-food places and convenience stores would be filled by other ethnic groups like Americans instead of new immigrants! *** The more money you make, the more money you’ll spend, no? ***
Not true. I could post articles about people in their 50s, 60s or 70s who went back to college or you can take my word for it. A garbageman makes more than a teacher. All you have to do is work really hard. Only 4.7% of the workforce makes minimum wage and I could not find even one case where that was the sole source of income. Raising minimum wage will not solve the problem. The first guy to win a 1 million dollar lottery ended up poorer after than he was before. Your idea “*** The more money you make, the more money you’ll spend, no? ***” is part of the problem. What is wrong with saving a little? Go to one of our poor high schools 🙁 and look at the jewelry, phones, clothes. How much money do we need to let people squander? Look at the problem a little harder. You will see a blurring of the lines between what people need and what they want.
*** The more you make the more you spend, which in turn helps the economy! We’re not talking savings and investing and all that future plans way of thinking when you’re on minimum wage. And people 60+ who decide to go back to school are really just fulfilling a dream they may have had but never got around in life to do and now they may have the time and money to do so. The reality of finding a much better paying job as a senior by having a particular school’s name on a piece of paper to hang on your office wall seems very slight to the average Joe whose been working two or three minimum-wage jobs throughout his life just to make ends meet. If the work decisions and experiences you’ve gained in life haven’t yet got you to that high five- or six-figure paying job by 65, what little time you have left in life should be spent enjoying your family and friends and taking care of yourself, not worrying about making dream money due to a school diploma. Enjoy what you have now ’cause you can’t enjoy or take it with you when you’re gone! Today’s economy and the continued way of the world will leave average people squandering a lifetime just for basic needs in general. Population explosion, lack of land for housing, lack of food to feed the masses, lack of medical care, along with religious chaos and confusion due to separation of the races, and economic status, will leave only time for survival! *** THE GOOD TIMES HAVE COME AND GONE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON WITH NOTHING LEFT BUT LEFTOVERS AND DARK TIMES AHEAD! ***
That is an interesting tirade but most of is not true. We could fit every person in the world in the state of Rhode Island and they would each have a 2×3-foot place to stand. The planet is not overpopulated, we all just live near each other by choice, not necessity. You could go out to Nevada and buy as much land as you wanted for $100/acre. We throw away more food than we actually consume. Dave Thomas (owner of Wendy’s) never graduated high school and he started working at KFC earning minimum wage. If his minimum wage was raised to an amount that would make living on that wage easier than starting his own restaurant, would he have ever started Wendy’s? If you put $25/week in an IRA and start at 18, you will retire at 58-1/2 a millionaire. How much does your average person spend on beer? The average person who is under 25 and not receiving any government benefits and starts making minimum wage, will ‘move up’ in less than a year. The problem with ‘today’s economy’ is it is based on ‘mass consumerism.’ From the time we are born we are encouraged to buy, buy and buy. Even Sesame Street is just a long commercial. How’s that ‘tickle-me Elmo?’ Only 4.7% of the workforce makes minimum wage. 99% of those people make that wage for a reason other than it is the best job they can get. They only work part-time because they are in school. They can’t earn more than that because they will lose their benefits or social security. They can only work while the kid is in school. It is a second or weekend job. I do not see how separating the races leads to religious chaos and confusion.
We make our own hell. What you did while you were in school leads to where you are now. None of this is from a lack of people (teachers, friends, parents) telling you what you should do. The problem is you did not listen. It was your responsibility and it is your fault. Raising minimum wage is not going to help the people you are talking about and it will hurt far more who made the right choices growing up. Job training and responsible budgeting would be better solutions. Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime.
+1
“A luxury, once enjoyed, becomes a necessity.” Something beyond your reach or outside your grasp can be looked at as a luxury, something desired. For some people that inspires or motivates to applying your resources, time and energy in pursuit. To others who perceive the formula differently envy comes into play, new “rights” are formulated, and someone or something else becomes responsible for meeting needs and wants.
And the blurring does occur daily. But since we have some exercise of free choice in our lives still, what some people are willing to call NEEDS or WANTS and spend funds for is going to be seen as silly by others. Who will balance these varied sentiments and how will they do so? Isn’t that why we have politicians? Time will tell.