From the APP:
Making NJ competitive will do more than $15 minimum wage
New Jersey routinely places at or near the bottom in almost every economic analysis of states in America. It’s one of the worst places in the country to do business; it has among the highest business and personal taxes; it’s overregulated; it’s electric utility rates are high and it has one the highest debt loads in the country. And its high property taxes make home ownership unaffordable for the middle-class.
Instead of addressing crucial structural issues with the state’s economy — like lowering corporate and property taxes, the leadership in this state has determined that it’s more important to boost the minimum wage to $15, raise taxes on job-producing people, legalize marijuana and lay down a welcome mat for illegal immigrants — at taxpayers’ expense.
The Murphy administration tried to lure Amazon to Newark with an outrageous $7 billion incentive. Amazon thumbed its nose at New Jersey’s enticement and decided to spend its money in two other places — which combined offered billions less than New Jersey. That says a lot about the state’s economic reputation.
…
While the governor pursues his progressive “fairness economy” his tax policies are destroying the opportunity to unlock New Jersey’s potential to attract investments that create jobs that support middle-class families.
According to a recent report, the average salary in New Jersey ($57,000) is not enough to afford the average rent of $2,062. A $15 minimum wage will not help. State property taxes now average $8,700 a year; New Jersey has the sixth-highest personal income tax rate in the nation (8.97 percent) and the third-highest per capita tax ($6,709) and the sixth-highest debt. Consequently, young people and retirees are fleeing the state — and business owners are taking note that the state is failing to address affordability issues.
If the governor is seeking a “fairness economy,” shouldn’t he be focusing on creating an environment that attracts good-paying jobs for millennials and older adults? Technology and manufacturing jobs that lift people out of poverty are going to less expensive states. Companies like Mercedes Benz and Honeywell are taking their high-paying jobs to Georgia and North Carolina and it’s not hard to figure out why.
Now that NJ is moving to $15 – NJ needs to be screaming for the Federal minimum wage to be increased.
Not because it’s “fair”, but to reduce the potential for wage arbitrage.
Looks like PA will move on this in the next year too.
New Shake Shack near Willowbrook – all kiosk ordering. We’re not talking retrofit, we’re talking an architect-designed restaurant layout focused on not needing to interact with a person to order.
This is a clear sign of the industry going all-in, there is no possible way to accommodate an ordering counter in the layout, there is simply no way to retrofit a place for an order taker.
ShakeShack..good…the order process at the Livingston location was, let’s say, “sub-optimal”.
Minimum wage, I understand that they doubled the minimum for “tipped” workers. That may have a more immediate impact on fast food and casual dining.
I don’t know, but there is always two sides to the story. This 15 min wage might be exactly what this state needs. It’s not a black and white issue, and raising the min wage has a lot of benefits on the economy.
It really is taking money from the top and injecting it into the bottom of the economy, where it’s much needed. Think about the impact on debt for the individual and state. It makes it that much easier to handle the debt load which leads to increase in spending.
Let’s face it, min wage has been set too low by an economy that produces way less jobs than there are workers. This has caused significant damage over decades to the lower wage brackets. They have gone nowhere over decades to the point that the wages are worthless since you can’t come close to surviving on it without govt assistance.
That should be a warning sign that something is wrong with the lower wage brackets when they have not kept up with cost of living and the govt has to come in to subsidize the workers survival. It’s not supposed to be like that, govt should not have to step in to supplement a worker’s survival. Simple as that. Something has to be done.
This might eventually give us an advantage in attracting millennials and lower middle class.
Where are you going to go? To the state that might be more a little more expensive, but paid more, or to the state that is cheaper, but paid a lot less?
Yes, nj is expensive, but not the entire state. So you will start to build middle class back up with higher wages. This should help south and west jersey big time.
At the end of the day, do you want a middle class in this state? Do you want working poor class that doesn’t need govt assistance to survive? Well, this min wage hike should help both.
Maybe I’m totally wrong, but this is what I see.
grim says:
February 18, 2019 at 6:12 am
Now that NJ is moving to $15 – NJ needs to be screaming for the Federal minimum wage to be increased.
Shake Shack was once a two hour line in NYC. I mean, the burger is decent…but it ain’t worth standing around for 2 hours.
I stop at it every once in a while. But unlike most people, I will sometimes opt for the Chicago Style hot dog. They do a pretty decent job at representing it.
$15 minimum wage hike
Ha. Ha. Ha.
Tell the poor renter that he/she must tack another $200 each month to rent because Section 8 is covering $200 less. Due to the wage increase, of course.
Tell the poor worker that he/she gets not more food stamps because they make more than the minimum now.
And how many other freebies are wage sensitive? For the most part, NJ does not produce the eligibility guidelines, its the Feds. And what is the federal minimum wage?
I’m so damn glad someone went up to me in late 2016 and asked to buy my retail business. Get ready for price increases on oil changes, baby.
Xoleopa,
You hit it. Raise the wages so we stop having to subsidize these workers with our tax dollars. Make them contributors instead of takers.
Hell, let’s lower the taxes on the rich, but let’s make sure they use these savings to raise wages as opposed to profits. This is the only way you have less govt…pay the people enough so that the govt doesn’t have to step in. Kill the power of the govt on social issues by taking away their source of power….people that need the govt to survive.
More nonsense from the cut taxes brigade. Kansas cut taxes to the bone. How has that worked out for them in in the long run?
NJ is 8th in state GDP and 9th in GDP per capita.
You can’t have stupid low wages you can’t survive on, and at the same time, have small govt. Good luck!!
You want small govt, then give the people an economy with jobs where they can take care of themselves. Price to pay for ultra low wages, and that is big govt.
If the governor is seeking a “fairness economy,” shouldn’t he be focusing on creating an environment that attracts good-paying jobs for millennials and older adults?
No. Pander to the riff raff. They are the ones who will vote you into power.
“No. Pander to the riff raff. They are the ones who will vote you into power.”
Is this what Trump did?
Not Fast Eddie, 10:50
No, but if the Leftists get their way and toss out the Electoral College, that is what the Presidential Elections would devolve into. Why try to fix the problems faced by poor farmers and underemployed workers in flyover country when you can just pander to the coastal cities and collect all the votes you need within 50 miles of either coast?
“Let’s recap what’s happened over the last 15 years or so:
Pensions: Payments have gone up from 5 to 7.5 percent, the COLA is still frozen, and the pension is judged to be one of the least generous in the nation.
Health insurance: Both the premium and the percentage employees pay has skyrocketed. Again, public employees are paying more than private employees for individual coverage, and not much less for family coverage.
Wages: By all indications, teachers continue to suffer from a wage penalty. In addition, while teacher salaries are growing slightly in the state, the growth appears to be nowhere near enough to make up for the losses from pension and health care contributions.
By any reasonable measure, New Jersey teachers — and other public employees — pay more for their retirement and health care benefits, get less back for those pay hikes, and still lag behind the private sector in total compensation.
This is beyond debate. Even as the state gave away billions in tax incentives that haven’t been shown to do anything, teachers and other public employees have sacrificed — over and over again — to get New Jersey back to fiscal health.”
https://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-true-history-of-new-jersey-teachers.html?m=1
From a pure logic perspective, doesn’t this initiative warrant protesting from union/SJW types? I’m nt making a joke.
grim says:
February 18, 2019 at 6:14 am
New Shake Shack near Willowbrook – all kiosk ordering. We’re not talking retrofit, we’re talking an architect-designed restaurant layout focused on not needing to interact with a person to order.
This is a clear sign of the industry going all-in, there is no possible way to accommodate an ordering counter in the layout, there is simply no way to retrofit a place for an order taker.
Supposedly the one on 43rd & 8th is line out the door Chinese tourists…… & BRT I agree with you.
Blue Ribbon Teacher says:
February 18, 2019 at 9:16 am
Shake Shack was once a two hour line in NYC. I mean, the burger is decent…but it ain’t worth standing around for 2 hours.
I stop at it every once in a while. But unlike most people, I will sometimes opt for the Chicago Style hot dog. They do a pretty decent job at representing it.
Let’s recap the cumulative absolute value of your posts to date….. in quotes…
” ”
I know that this representation will create an argument on these threads due to those who would posit the absolute value is significantly different…..
The Great Pumpkin says:
February 18, 2019 at 12:23 pm
Let’s recap what’s happened over the last 15 years or so.
“From a pure logic perspective, doesn’t this initiative warrant protesting from union/SJW types? I’m nt making a joke.”
I don’t even know anymore. Companies that were darlings of the liberals and SJW yesterday are now public enemy #1.
Bay Area tech was seen as the most liberal of corporates, progressive, inclusive, activist even – now they are the devil. Look at Starbucks, look at Amazon, Facebook, Twitter, etc etc.
So really, who the f@ck knows anymore.
Suspect we are going to see a shift in the left towards neo-Luddism.
Technology and innovation driving inequality.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/real-estate-seminar-grow-with-gorga-tickets-55723425265
Anybody going to this home flipping seminar in Jersey City? Should be great entertainment.