Oped Archive (Page 55 )

  • The Real Cost Of Minimum Wage Hikes

    August 2010 ·  William E. Even and David A. Macpherson ·  Investor's Business Daily

    On July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increased to $7.25, the final step in a series of three hikes passed in 2007. Today, a year later, the unemployment rate for our nation’s teens remains stalled near 25%, with one out of every five unemployed teens searching for work for six months or more. This isn’t a coincidence. Though intended to lift American workers out of poverty…
  • Roll Back Minimum Wage, Watch Teens Get Jobs

    July 2010 ·  Michael Saltsman ·  Indianapolis Star

    It’s one of the fundamental laws of economics: When you increase the price of something, you will ultimately decrease demand for that product. With the first anniversary of the recent 40 percent hike in the minimum wage upon us, we see that maxim in effect once again. A new study by labor economists William Even (Miami University) and David Macpherson (Trinity University) shows that the federal wage…
  • Minimum Wage Indexing will Push More Teens to the Unemployment Line

    July 2010 ·  Michael Saltsman ·  Atlanta Journal Constitution

    In an effort to help economically poor families make ends meet, some Georgia legislators proposed indexing increases in the minimum wage to inflation. The idea is that low-income Americans should see their wages go up when basic necessities like gas and food become more expensive. But there are a few problems with their plan: Economists have shown that indexing the minimum wage to inflation does little to…
  • ‘Living Wage’ Kills Jobs

    July 2010 ·  Michael Saltsman ·  Baltimore Business Journal

    The labor subcommittee of Baltimore’s City Council on Thursday put a hold on Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke’s plans for a citywide living wage of $10.57. It’s unlikely we’ve heard the last of it, though. The full council can choose to take up the legislation with a simple majority vote, and advocacy groups are already dialing up the pressure. Paul Sonn, of the National Employment Law Project, is…
  • Jobless Michigan Teens Can Thank the Minimum Wage Hike

    July 2010 ·  Michael Saltsman ·  Detroit News

    Teens have it pretty tough these days. From bullies and standardized tests to peer pressure and Facebook fights, modernity is adding stress to every aspect of the lives of young adults. This summer, you can add the death of the entry-level job to that list of woes. Young adults are facing unprecedented unemployment rates — and the figures for dropouts and minorities are even more staggering. No…
  • A Tip Credit is Better Policy Than Politics

    July 2010 ·  Michael Saltsman ·  Minneapolis Star Tribune

    By calling for the introduction of a tip credit for Minnesota’s tipped employees, Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer managed to prove once again that a gaffe is something you say that is both true and inappropriate. While economic research suggests his plan could be a boon for workers, businesses and customers alike, the economic naiveté of voters has opened the door for politicians to make hay off…