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House passes $2 minimum wage increase - with a $750 billion estate tax cut

By Beth Robinson | August 2, 2006 |

On July 29, 2006 the House voted 230-180 to raise the $5.15 hourly minimum wage in three 70-cent steps until it reaches $7.25 in mid-2009. The possible increase in the minimum wage is way overdue but the only way Democrats could get it passed was to let the Republicans ‘tack on’ an estate tax cut which overwhelming targets the wealthy.

Please join me in encouraging our US Senators to support increasing the minimum wage but without adding the ’sneaky’ estate tax cut which benefits the top 1% of the wealthiest Americans.

Initially, I thought the minimum wage increase was the highest priority and I couldn’t care about the estate tax.  Then I learned that the Estate tax would cost taxpayers $750 billion.

From the Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO

“Increasing the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 would give some 6.6 million low-wage workers a much-needed $1,200 a year raise and would not cost taxpayers a dime. In contrast, the estate tax cut would exempt estates as large as $7 million—permanently—from the tax and lower taxes for even wealthier estates. The payoff? An average $1.4 million windfall for each of roughly 8,200 rich estates. And a $750 billion tab for taxpayers.

It gets worse! House Republican leaders poisoned the minimum wage portion of the measure by slipping in a vindictive provision that would actually lower pay for tipped employees and prohibits states from fully restoring their wage protections.

Don’t let the Senate accept this disgusting political ploy by House Republicans. Call your senators now and tell them to support the filibuster against H.R. 5970. “ 

Do you know that restaurants only pay their servers 1/2 of the minimum wage?  That’s $2.57 an hour.  The ‘rationale’ is they get tips that make up for the rest.  As a former waitress during my college years at a Shoney’s restaurant, I can tell you how terribly unfair this ‘normal’ business practice feels. Businesses with workers making tips should NOT be allowed to pay less than the standard minimum wage.

– see my previous post on the Minimum Wage
– MSN article on recent vote

About Beth Robinson

Tennessee native. Computer Systems Analyst - 24+ year career in computer industry. BS, Computer Science, 1983 TTU. MA, Instructional Technology, 1999 APSU. Friends of Dunbar Cave. Audubon. Sierra Club. World Wildlife Fund. League of Conservation Voters. Active member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Clarksville (UUFC). UU Service Committee. UUFC Social Action chairperson / Green Sanctuary chairperson / Youth group advisor.

Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/beth_robinson/

Email: beth_faith@hotmail.com

Sections: News, Politics
Topics: Government, Minimum Wage, Politics

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