2008 Woodie Awards
Issue wages higher pay versus security risks
Nichole Strack
Issue date: 10/10/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
LCCC students may feel some financial relief this fall if the Ohio Fair Minimum Wage Amendment passes and raises the current minimum wage.
Ohio, along with six other states, has a proposed minimum wage increase on the Nov. 7 ballot. The amendment will raise the current minimum wage in Ohio from $5.15 to $6.85 an hour.
The proposed amendment has received a lot of support by Ohio citizens and easily qualified for the ballot with more than 363,000 valid signatures. Valerie Lukachko, a political science major at LCCC, said, "The minimum wage hasn't been raised since 1997. However, it's clear that the cost of living has gone up drastically, along with tuition rates."
Kristin Acton, also a student at LCCC, said, "Times are changing and the economy needs to change with it. I've been on my own since high school. A minimum wage job at McDonald's just doesn't cut it anymore. I'm tired of worrying about not being able to make ends meet; I need to focus all my attention on school."
The proposed amendment calls for minimum wage to be adjusted annually for inflation.
Twenty-three states, including six this year, have already raised minimum wages above the federal level of $5.15 an hour. Other states with an amendment on this year's ballot are Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Missouri and Colorado.
Julia Lacinak, an economist from the University of Toledo, said, "I do not think that they should raise minimum wage. By doing that, it will raise business operating costs, therefore raising actual costs of products in the stores or restaurants."
Opponents of the amendment, such as Ohioans to Protect Personal Privacy, have argued against the proposed amendment. If passed, the amendment would require employers to maintain the following records for a period of three years following termination of an employee: name, address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, and each amount paid an employee. As written in the amendment, these records will be available to "any person acting on behalf of an employee." Citizens are concerned this provision may violate personal privacy.
Identity theft is also a concern among many opponents. Social Security numbers may appear on the required records of employees which are available to anyone who asks for them. When interviewed, many LCCC students said they weren't aware of these provisions and planned to reconsider their voting decisions before Election Day.
Ohio, along with six other states, has a proposed minimum wage increase on the Nov. 7 ballot. The amendment will raise the current minimum wage in Ohio from $5.15 to $6.85 an hour.
The proposed amendment has received a lot of support by Ohio citizens and easily qualified for the ballot with more than 363,000 valid signatures. Valerie Lukachko, a political science major at LCCC, said, "The minimum wage hasn't been raised since 1997. However, it's clear that the cost of living has gone up drastically, along with tuition rates."
Kristin Acton, also a student at LCCC, said, "Times are changing and the economy needs to change with it. I've been on my own since high school. A minimum wage job at McDonald's just doesn't cut it anymore. I'm tired of worrying about not being able to make ends meet; I need to focus all my attention on school."
The proposed amendment calls for minimum wage to be adjusted annually for inflation.
Twenty-three states, including six this year, have already raised minimum wages above the federal level of $5.15 an hour. Other states with an amendment on this year's ballot are Montana, Nevada, Arizona, Missouri and Colorado.
Julia Lacinak, an economist from the University of Toledo, said, "I do not think that they should raise minimum wage. By doing that, it will raise business operating costs, therefore raising actual costs of products in the stores or restaurants."
Opponents of the amendment, such as Ohioans to Protect Personal Privacy, have argued against the proposed amendment. If passed, the amendment would require employers to maintain the following records for a period of three years following termination of an employee: name, address, occupation, pay rate, hours worked for each day worked, and each amount paid an employee. As written in the amendment, these records will be available to "any person acting on behalf of an employee." Citizens are concerned this provision may violate personal privacy.
Identity theft is also a concern among many opponents. Social Security numbers may appear on the required records of employees which are available to anyone who asks for them. When interviewed, many LCCC students said they weren't aware of these provisions and planned to reconsider their voting decisions before Election Day.
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