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Topic: Price change due to min. wage increase

David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 12-31-2008 09:00 PM

Oregon's minimum wage bumps from $7.95 to $8.40 on 1/1/09.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 01-01-2009 01:51 PM

? Any news on what Washington's min wage is going up since its neighbor below them shot up that high?

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Kevin Fairchild
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 125
From: Kennewick, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2008

posted 01-02-2009 12:30 AM

quote: Monte L Fullmer
? Any news on what Washington's min wage is going up since its neighbor below them shot up that high?

Washington’s minimum wage increased to $8.55

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 01-02-2009 05:30 AM

Makes one wonder how cinemas in these two marine coastal states are handling their payroll with level entry wages being that high?

What form of budget control do they have in able to keep profit margins in the black at all times - in good and bad times?

thx..Monte

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Dominic Espinosa
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1172
From: California, U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-02-2009 02:31 PM

quote: Monte L Fullmer
What form of budget control do they have in able to keep profit margins in the black at all times - in good and bad times?

I believe the prices now are:
Matinee: Arm
Senior/Children: Leg
General: Arm & Leg

All kidding aside, I'd expect to see more combination positions. Assistant manager/projectionist, General manager/concession support, etc.

Just my thoughts...

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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!

Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 01-02-2009 06:40 PM

Or raise the prices enough to cover the additional expense. Remember too, the folks making minimum wage coming to see the movies also likely got a raise too. All boats should rise with the tide.

The realities are, the increase in prices would be rather minimal to cover such an increase in payroll.

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Ramin Hashemi
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 129
From: Houston TX
Registered: Sep 2004

posted 01-28-2009 05:34 PM

A lot of comments are made about the minimal effect of minimum wage increase on bottom line. There are 2 things that are effected because of minimum wage increase.

1) Most wages have to increase to keep the incremental wage intact.

2) All other expenses, including concession cost, delivery cost, utilities, ect also get effected.

If not right away, shortly thereafter. We have all seen the increase in concession costs.

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Jack Ondracek
Film God

Posts: 2348
From: Port Orchard, WA, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 01-28-2009 05:59 PM

quote: Monte L Fullmer
Makes one wonder how cinemas in these two marine coastal states are handling their payroll with level entry wages being that high?

It's a good question, Monte, and the answer usually isn't what people expect.

Outside of our area, one would think our high minimum wage (highest in the nation) and 8 - 10% sales taxes on everything but admission tickets and most foods would stifle business. If you look at border towns, like between Washington and Idaho (where the minimum is much lower), you find that lots of people are coming over here to work... AND shop.

Dunno... cost of living is higher here, wages are higher here, you probably keep about as much as you would if you lived in a mid-west farming state.

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Tristan Lane
Master Film Handler

Posts: 444
From: Nampa, Idaho
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 01-28-2009 07:37 PM

quote: Jack Ondracek
8 - 10% sales taxes on everything but admission tickets

John, are ticket sales exempt from sales tax??

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-28-2009 10:49 PM

quote: Jack Ondracek
Dunno... cost of living is higher here, wages are higher here, you probably keep about as much as you would if you lived in a mid-west farming state.

Wages and costs may both be higher, but in many cases if one moves to an area that has a higher cost of living (including the Seattle area) the increase in wages doesn't completely compensate for the increase in living expenses.

For instance, my rent for a one-bedroom apartment is 35% of that of an old friend's apartment in Bellevue, yet our minimum wage is 85% of that of Washington State.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 01-28-2009 11:33 PM

quote: Jack Ondracek
you find that lots of people are coming over here to work... AND shop.

Only thing that stings on that one is that the people having to pay dbl state tax on their income taxes since they live in Idaho and work in Washington for that higher wage.

..like the people who live in the corner of Oregon (Ontario) and Idaho residents (where min wage is $6.55/hr now) wade across the Snake River to work in Oregon for that $8.40/hr wage they get and you know they gonna get stung with dbl state taxes at the end of the year.

So, here's a dumb one then: WHY do have increases in min wage if the cost of living raises then adjusts to the wage increase - where's the incentive of making money then?

Looks like someone, somebody doesn't want us to be successful and financially secure, do they?

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-28-2009 11:37 PM

What do you mean by "double taxes"? In the sense that they have to pay state income tax twice? In that case, you have to remember that there is no state income tax in Washington.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 01-28-2009 11:38 PM

Not familiar with tax laws in Washington. Just guessing on that one. Thus, no wonder why people jump border on the I-90 corridor to work in that state..along with those down in Moscow/Pullman area..

Heard that one does with Oregon though...

In states that have no state tax, where do that state get their revenue then .. getting it somehow...

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 청주시, 경북도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-29-2009 12:45 AM

High sales tax. When my parents moved to Washington, we were shocked that the sales tax was just about double what we had in NC.

It's the same kind of thing here in Texas. No income tax but fairly high sales tax.

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Jeremy Weigel
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1062
From: Edmond, OK, USA
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 01-29-2009 01:15 AM

And property taxes...

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