Friday July 25, 2008
Contact: Patrick McLeod
Campaign Manager
940-368-2413Texas Democratic Candidate McClelland Calls For Living Wage On The Heels Of Minimum Wage Increase
LITTLE ELM: Thursday saw the latest increase in the federal minimum wage by $.70 per hour, from $5.85 to $6.55. Democratic nominee for State House District 64, John McClelland, called for Texas to do more to help the hard working people on the state.
“We have waited for over a decade for Congress to raise the minimum wage, and it will only reach $7.25 per hour by 2009,” McClelland said. “I call on the Texas Legislature to implement a $10 per hour “living wage” in the next legislative session. Hard working families making minimum wage have to work over 6 hours at $6.55 just to buy a tank of gas for their car. That is completely unacceptable in the 21st century. Is it any wonder why 22% of Texas children live in poverty? 37 states pay more than the federal minimum. Texas can do better.”
John McClelland is the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 64, which represents Denton, Corinth, Lake Dallas, Hickory Creek, Shady Shores, Oak Point, Lakewood Village, Lincoln Park, Paloma Creek South, Little Elm, and The Colony.
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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The usual argument against even the smallest increase in the minimum wage is “it will cost American jobs.”
My answer to that is this:
“Some time back, the chairman of Exxon/Mobil retired. His retirement package, including stock options, totaled $400,000,000.
A bit later, the CEO of Home Depot was fired for poor performance. His ‘separation’ package was nearly $200,000,000.
Two men, being paid $600,000,00, enough to fund a $2 an hour increase in the minimum wage for three million man hours of work.
How many more store clerks, stockers, oil workers, truck drivers, etc. could those companies employ….if it weren’t for this rigged ‘good ol’ boys club’ type of insanity?”
And please, don’t anyone tell me that you have to provide those obscene levels of compensation to compete for the best CEO talent. I imagine there are plenty of people who could run either company superbly for a mere $50 million or so.