Oregon gas tax and minimum wage going up?

[IDman]

My neighbor saw an article about Oregon raising their gas tax by $1.00 per gallon AND raising the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour!

If so, this will really cost RVrs and others big time, not just from the gas tax, but the min. wage increase will cause EVERYTHING to go up!

If these increases are true, what in the world could they be thinking?
This could make a huge dent in the tourism business and kill a lot of small businesses!

Does anyone know if this is true?

[jplante4]

The trouble with socialism is that eventually, you run out of other people's money.

I'm also wondering what happens when the increase in the minimum wage bumps a 2 income family into the next tax bracket and their net goes down.

[mich800]

irishtom29 wrote:
The so called "science" of economics is often merely an effort to convince the working class that what's good for them is bad for them. Thus we get Irishtom's Laws of Economics---

My raise is a result of merit, your raise is a result of greed.

My raise benefits the economy, your raise causes inflation.

I'm better off with more money but you're better off with less.

I'm overworked, you're overpaid.

My job takes great skill, anyone can do your job.

Value hard work until you have to pay for it.

When investors and businessmen band together in corporations and trade groups to further their economic interests it's free enterprise, when workers band together in unions to further their economic interests it's communism.

There are no social class political issues in America.

Like any science where statistics are heavily involved certain positions can be manipulated based on the desired outcome one wishes to present. All economics strive to achieve the same end. But there are multiple ways to arrive at that goal and that is where the debates will rage on. That is what makes our country great. We have the luxury to debate and implement different paths to achieve the same end. Unlike a true communist economy where the end may be the same but who has a say to that means is dramatically different.

[irishtom29]

The so called "science" of economics is often merely an effort to convince the working class that what's good for them is bad for them. Thus we get Irishtom's Laws of Economics---

My raise is a result of merit, your raise is a result of greed.

My raise benefits the economy, your raise causes inflation.

I'm better off with more money but you're better off with less.

I'm overworked, you're overpaid.

My job takes great skill, anyone can do your job.

Value hard work until you have to pay for it.

When investors and businessmen band together in corporations and trade groups to further their economic interests it's free enterprise, when workers band together in unions to further their economic interests it's communism.

There are no social class political issues in America.

[mich800]

NMDriver wrote:
Business 101 teaches how to maximize profit for the few. Economics 102 teaches how increased wages generates a better standard of living for all.

If increased wages are the result of increased productivity yes. If increased wages for the sake of increased wages would just be a utopia.

[NMDriver]

Business 101 teaches how to maximize profit for the few. Economics 102 teaches how increased wages generates a better standard of living for all.

[jplante4]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
If it happens like the OP said, that extra dollar per gallon of gas would go to the highway department and they would use that money to pay the 5 guys leaning on their shovels twice what they are making now.

And here in Taxachusetts, those 5 guys would all be relatives of state senators and reps.

[rhagfo]

n7bsn wrote:

Swampman597 wrote:
Here's another article about the gas tax and one way they are looking at money:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/oregon-to-try-uss-first-mileage-based-road-tax/ar-AA9ztKN

Lots of states are "looking" at the per-mile-tax. So far none have gotten past the "looking" state.

Their theory is between electric and newer high MPG vehicles, there is less tax dollars coming in for fewer miles driven.

Some years back converting vehicles to propane got popular, so a bunch of states brought in special taxes for propane powered vehicles.

Per mile tax

This makes more sense every day!! With hybrids and all electric using the roads at little or no cost is quite unfair.

[Nomadac]

All the States that decide to raise their minimum wage to excessive amounts and increase their gas taxes will not be on my travel plans. If the local voters are elect politicians that are that dumb then they can suffer the increase costs for goods and services. It is time the voters start electing politicians that understand business and economics.

[1SG]

Oregon just did pass SB 324 which will raise the price of fuel here in Oregon. It is a BS bill that forces fuel producers to reduce "carbon" in their products. The State want the fuel producers to use more "alternative" fuels. It also places a carbon tax on the fuel producers which is where the increase in fuel costs come into play. The people pushing this bill claim it will only raise the price of fuel a "few" cents per gallon but independent studies of the bill say it will raise the price over $1.00 per gallon.

Our state is brain dead. They want to save the World but don't think before casting their votes.

I don't know how the legislature is leaning on the minimum wage issue and I don't know if it has come out of committee to the floor.

God save us all.

Paul

[edbehnke]

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/02/20/3625092/portland-15-minimum-wage/


you ever wonder what the employees who make between $15-20 feel about this change?

[Bob_Olallawa]

westernrvparkowner wrote:

Bob/Olallawa wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
I would vote for an increase in the gas tax IF I thought it would actually go to fix the roads here in SC. However, the DOT as such a bad reputation for mismanagement of the funds they already get no one believes it will be monies well spent.

I tend to agree with westernrvparkowner. Two other downstream impacts will be less entry level jobs as more of them are automated or simply eliminated, and continue the US direction of being the high cost producer of goods and services which has it's own repercussions.

If it happens like the OP said, that extra dollar per gallon of gas would go to the highway department and they would use that money to pay the 5 guys leaning on their shovels twice what they are making now. And don't forget the 50 layers of bureaucrats that oversee those workers will need raises too. After all, they are now supervising $15.00 an hour workers, not $7.50 workers. More responsibility, more pay, the American Way.

....REALLY.... as a retired road worker I don't think you really know much about road maintenance wages or the material costs involved. In the 90's hot mix was $16.00 a ton, same supplier now charges $60.00 a ton. Equipment costs, fuel costs both up and labor costs are a union and management negotiated item in most government operations, not minimum wage jobs for sure.

I was joking!!! Everyone who has driven a car has seen construction crews standing around, doing absolutely nothing. It might be lunch time, it might be break time, it might be they are waiting for your $60 hot mix to arrive, but to the guy passing by in his car, it is a snapshot where a bunch of people are being paid to do nothing. I actually do a lot or road maintenance, and guess what, hot mix can be spread equally as well by minimum wage workers as it can by highly paid union workers. I am pretty sure the crew employed by the company that did my driveway were earning much closer to minimum wages than union wages. I would expect that hot mix is more today than it was 20 years ago, most things not involving microchips are. Sorry, but I don't necessarily see the Government handing out contracts to only Union workers as a good deal for taxpayers. In a perfect world, the work would go to the low bidder, irrespective of how they arrived at that bid, providing they didn't break any laws. If a paving company can hire workers at minimum wage and therefore can save the taxpayers money, and the job gets done according to the contract specifications, they should be the one's awarded the contract. I don't believe a worker's affiliation or non-affiliation with a union has any influence over their ability to perform the work. (provided, of course, the union thugs don't break the non-union workers legs, which would then impair their ability to spread hot mix)

No Harm done: My post was addressing the road crews that work for the state/county/city doing the maintenance and emergency work, not the contractors. We are the guys out there rain snow or sunny taking care of problems so you can drive from point A to point B. We don't make contractors money but we are not minimum wage either. Yes that 2 second snap shot when you drive by a crew can be a hard one, but could be lots of things going on too. You don't always see what is done, just the problems we haven't gotten to get talked about. Hope you have a good season because lots of fuel will be used getting there.

[n7bsn]

Swampman597 wrote:
Here's another article about the gas tax and one way they are looking at money:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news/oregon-to-try-uss-first-mileage-based-road-tax/ar-AA9ztKN

Lots of states are "looking" at the per-mile-tax. So far none have gotten past the "looking" state.

Their theory is between electric and newer high MPG vehicles, there is less tax dollars coming in for fewer miles driven.

Some years back converting vehicles to propane got popular, so a bunch of states brought in special taxes for propane powered vehicles.

[nineoaks2004]

When the economy tanks, the govt. looks at taxes to cure the problem.
They should do like us working people do and cut back, starting with their salary and benefits.
Of course like the .05 coffee, when the economy picks up the taxes stay the same. As for the $15.00 min wage, the price of EVERYTHING will go up and less workers will be hired too.

[westernrvparkow]

Bob/Olallawa wrote:

westernrvparkowner wrote:

wildtoad wrote:
I would vote for an increase in the gas tax IF I thought it would actually go to fix the roads here in SC. However, the DOT as such a bad reputation for mismanagement of the funds they already get no one believes it will be monies well spent.

I tend to agree with westernrvparkowner. Two other downstream impacts will be less entry level jobs as more of them are automated or simply eliminated, and continue the US direction of being the high cost producer of goods and services which has it's own repercussions.

If it happens like the OP said, that extra dollar per gallon of gas would go to the highway department and they would use that money to pay the 5 guys leaning on their shovels twice what they are making now. And don't forget the 50 layers of bureaucrats that oversee those workers will need raises too. After all, they are now supervising $15.00 an hour workers, not $7.50 workers. More responsibility, more pay, the American Way.

....REALLY.... as a retired road worker I don't think you really know much about road maintenance wages or the material costs involved. In the 90's hot mix was $16.00 a ton, same supplier now charges $60.00 a ton. Equipment costs, fuel costs both up and labor costs are a union and management negotiated item in most government operations, not minimum wage jobs for sure.

I was joking!!! Everyone who has driven a car has seen construction crews standing around, doing absolutely nothing. It might be lunch time, it might be break time, it might be they are waiting for your $60 hot mix to arrive, but to the guy passing by in his car, it is a snapshot where a bunch of people are being paid to do nothing. I actually do a lot or road maintenance, and guess what, hot mix can be spread equally as well by minimum wage workers as it can by highly paid union workers. I am pretty sure the crew employed by the company that did my driveway were earning much closer to minimum wages than union wages. I would expect that hot mix is more today than it was 20 years ago, most things not involving microchips are. Sorry, but I don't necessarily see the Government handing out contracts to only Union workers as a good deal for taxpayers. In a perfect world, the work would go to the low bidder, irrespective of how they arrived at that bid, providing they didn't break any laws. If a paving company can hire workers at minimum wage and therefore can save the taxpayers money, and the job gets done according to the contract specifications, they should be the one's awarded the contract. I don't believe a worker's affiliation or non-affiliation with a union has any influence over their ability to perform the work. (provided, of course, the union thugs don't break the non-union workers legs, which would then impair their ability to spread hot mix)