The ‘Living Wage’ in Santa Fe lowered unemployment and provided more jobs? WRONG!
The Albuquerque minimum wage drive appears to be patterned after the Santa Fe ‘living wage’ ordinance. That ordinance successfully raised Santa Fe’s minimum wage over the past seven years making it the highest minimum wage in the nation.
While it is difficult to know how many businesses in Santa Fe have closed because of the rise in employment costs, just take a walk around the plaza or a drive down Cerrillos and you will see businesses that are no longer operating. Many employees, who thought a raise in wages sounded great, now find themselves unemployed. While some of this is due to the Great Recession, much of it is due to the long term impact of Santa Fe's mandated wages.
Unfortunately, it seems those behind the Albuquerque minimum wage drive are using ‘snapshots’ of Santa Fe’s employment stats that, when taken out of context, support their goal of ever increasing minimum wage rates.
Here are the facts and economic lessons from Santa Fe’s Living Wage Ordinance: Santa Fe's living wage ordinance raised the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour in 2006. Santa Fe currently has the highest minimum wage in the Unites States at $10.29.
The Albuquerque minimum wage drive appears to be patterned after the Santa Fe ‘living wage’ ordinance. That ordinance successfully raised Santa Fe’s minimum wage over the past seven years making it the highest minimum wage in the nation.
While it is difficult to know how many businesses in Santa Fe have closed because of the rise in employment costs, just take a walk around the plaza or a drive down Cerrillos and you will see businesses that are no longer operating. Many employees, who thought a raise in wages sounded great, now find themselves unemployed. While some of this is due to the Great Recession, much of it is due to the long term impact of Santa Fe's mandated wages.
Unfortunately, it seems those behind the Albuquerque minimum wage drive are using ‘snapshots’ of Santa Fe’s employment stats that, when taken out of context, support their goal of ever increasing minimum wage rates.
Here are the facts and economic lessons from Santa Fe’s Living Wage Ordinance: Santa Fe's living wage ordinance raised the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour in 2006. Santa Fe currently has the highest minimum wage in the Unites States at $10.29.
New Mexico Labor Force for Santa Fe
March 2006 March 2012 Difference
Employment 76,672 71084 - 5588
Unemployed 2,471 4,097 + 1626
Unemp. Rate 3.1% 5.4% + 2.3%
5588 lost jobs in Santa Fe and the unemployment rate has risen over 2% since the living wage ordinance took effect in 2006.
FACT CHECK: New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Reports
Employment 76,672 71084 - 5588
Unemployed 2,471 4,097 + 1626
Unemp. Rate 3.1% 5.4% + 2.3%
5588 lost jobs in Santa Fe and the unemployment rate has risen over 2% since the living wage ordinance took effect in 2006.
FACT CHECK: New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Reports
1 comment:
sounds like they are doing a LOT better than the 25% national unemployment (8% U3 15% u6 or so and about 23 - 25% actual for all those that gave up trying).
Way to go living wage!
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