Increase in the Minimum Wage

Our politicians have finally figured out that the increase in minimum wage will hurt few, if any (July 10). Quick Chicken on the north side of Main Street will be legally required to pay food servers $4.75 an hour. McHenry’s on the south side of Main Street will also have to raise the minimum wage for food servers to the same $4.75.

Neither has an advantage. Both can start charging an extra nickel per serving without losing any business to each other or having to reduce their work force.

The public can afford to absorb the extra nickel if the welfare rolls and taxes are eventually reduced by increased employment.

BOB STEINGART

Pasadena

* Congress has seen fit to raise the minimum wage after more than five years of neglect. I want to thank them for the raise, since the last one we received was eaten up by the Bush and Clinton tax increases. It would better serve both Congress and the people of this nation, especially the low wage earners, if Congress could control its spending habits and leave working people with more take-home pay.

As it is we see our weekly checks being eaten up by oppressive taxes that have reached the point where it takes two wage earners in a family just to make ends meet. Wouldn’t a cut in our taxes be a raise in our take-home pay?

Before members of Congress consider throwing us more table scraps, such as a raise in the minimum wage, they should consider cutting some of the fat out of their own diet.

JOSEPH ANGIULI

Glendora