TO THE EDITOR:
Referring to your editorial dated Nov 10, I submit that you missed the point when discussing the minimum wage. Although the argument against raising it usually refers to teenagers not being able to get jobs, workers being laid off because companies can't afford to raise salaries, and politicians not paying attention to the needs of the electorate.
I believe you as well as many other people miss the point that our senior citizens are hurt the most. Many live on fixed incomes such as pensions, annuities, and Social Security. Yes, the argument regarding Social Security is that the government raises social security according to the price indexes. Usually social security is at least two years behind the inflation rate.
An example from my own father taught me the fallacy of leaving seniors out of consideration when dealing with the effects of raising minimum wages. My dad retired in 1972 at age 65 on a fixed income of $800 per month. A pound of chopped meat at that time cost approximately $2.15. When he passed away 32 years later, that same pound cost $5.56, over double the price since he retired. The cost of bread and other staples increased at the same rate. (According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for uncooked ground beef were 183.14% higher in 2003 versus 1972 (a $36.63 difference in value).
His pension didn't raise. He had to decide if he needed to eat, or buy his medicines. A dilemma many senior citizens face today. Consider these facts next time you discuss minimum wage increases.
Joe Cerrato
Texarkana, Texas