by Juan J Martinez
Member since:
November 9, 2006

Minimum Wage Used to Give Tax Breaks To Undeserving

February 03, 2007 10:38 AM EST
views: 40 | rating: 10/10 (1 vote) | comments: 11

  The plan to increase the minimum wage is still being debated in Washington. The House voted yes on the bill, which was than passed on to the Senate. However at the Senate the bill was ratified and several items were attached to it, among these were provisions that would give tax breaks to small businesses. I have my suspicions that in the end, before the wage increase bill will pass there will be several more provisions attached to it that will benefit special interest groups and enrich the pockets of those who really don’t live on hourly wage income.

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Comments: 11

donna f. Feb 3, 2007, 10:44am EST
You may be right, but giving tax breaks to small businesses may enable them to PAY the new wage, and there is nothing wrong with that, considering the amount of corporate welfare that exists for the mega corporations anyway.
Peter Wimsey Feb 3, 2007, 12:15pm EST
"increasing money for George Bush's presidential library, tax breaks especially for polluters, and a new bridge somewhere in Alaska."

Well said, Geoffrey. although Ted Stevens, the Crown Prince of Republican Pork" is no longer a Committee Chairman.

You are right, Juan. Republcians require that every bill must have tax breaks, regardless of need, economic justification, or the public interest.

What is hysterical is the attempt by Republican congresspeople to pretend to be concerned about fiscal responsibility.
Clare B. Feb 3, 2007, 1:02pm EST
I think the single most improtant legislation the the House and Senate could pass would be a rule requiring single - purpose bills. We have that rule for our propositions in Arizona. If every bill had only one purpose then Congressional representatives would have to go on ther record to build a bridge to no where in Alaska.
I don't think it is wrong to give small business an additional tax break to help pay the minium wage. After all - it is the huge companies that get so many tax breaks both from the federal government and the cities that compete to have them. It makes it very hard for small businesses to compete.
Don (is it 2010 yet?) H. Feb 3, 2007, 2:11pm EST
Nothing wrong with a good 'ol fashioned tax break.
Juan J Martinez Feb 3, 2007, 4:28pm EST
That is just the point, percentage wise the middle class pays more in taxes than the higher and lower income tax brackets and just because I belief in equal taxation does not make me a liberal or member of the far right. I am not against small business receiving tax breaks. What I am against is the process in which Republicans and Democrats alike will try to attach their pet projects to the Minimum Wage Bill. Before you know it someone will attach a tax break for off shore oil companies or allocate monies for a swimming pool for some posh Senate gym.
Joe T. Feb 3, 2007, 4:32pm EST
Most liberals are paying taxes.

I think that a tax break for small businesses makes sense - not so they can afford an increase in the minimum wage but so that they can be innovative and create more jobs.
Mario A. Feb 3, 2007, 6:44pm EST
Juan, I'm afraid your suspicions are probably right. You also have to blame the media that is willing to let themselves be fooled; the politicians, like magicians, have you looking at one thing, while they're doing something else with the other. You would think the media would be looking at everything ELSE in the bill. They make the bill look like a no-brainer: who would argue with raising the minimum wage for people in the service industry? But like you said, they'll put a lot of fat on that bill and pass other things that will probably take away from the poor what they just gave them.
Robyn M. Feb 5, 2007, 4:15pm EST
You have touched on several points here: I think the tax break is a great idea. I know several small business owners who already pay more than minimum wage as many states have already put high limits into play. But a tax break for these middle-class folks is a great idea. It isn't just Republicans who promote tax breaks, especially for the middle classes who make up the already strained small-business owners. Democrats recognize the value as well.

The idea of multi-purpose bills has evolved sinced the beginning of our Great Experiment here. I think at their core, they provide a working give-and-take approach to governing, but it does appear they have gotten out of hand.

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