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MINIMUM WAGE Jackson County commissioners ask governor to block wage hike Minimum wage would rise to $13.50 in Jackson County over six years Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 4:28 PM Updated Feb 23, 2016 at 4:46 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 4:28 PM Updated Feb 23, 2016 at 4:46 PM » Social News The Jackson County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to send a letter to Gov. Kate Brown asking her not to sign a minimum wage increase into law. A bill to gradually raise the state's minimum wage to $14.75 in Portland and $13.50 in mid-sized counties such as Jackson County by 2022 cleared the Oregon Legislature late last week. The most rural, economically depressed counties would see the minimum wage rise to $12.50 by 2022. The current Oregon minimum wage is $9.25 per hour, while the federal minimum wage is $7.25. Business will be faced with hard choices when the wage increases kick in, commissioners said. "They can cut expenses — which usually means employees — or they can raise their prices," Commissioner Rick Dyer said. "Both have detrimental effects on the economy." He said many business have such a small profit margin they will be forced to close. Dyer owns Northwest Energy Solutions, which installs energy-efficient windows. He said his business doesn't have minimum wage workers, and he is contracting out the business's projects because he is devoting so much time to his work as a commissioner. Commissioner Colleen Roberts, part owner of Sensational Sweets bakery, said workers at her business start out at minimum wage. She said small-business owners will be especially hard hit by the minimum wage increase. "If you can't afford it, you stop hiring or cut back," Roberts said. "The consequences are devastating to growth in Southern Oregon." Commissioner Doug Breidenthal was in Washington, D.C., for a National Association of Counties conference and was not able to take part in the Tuesday vote. Commissioners had hoped to send information about their opposition to the Oregon Legislature last week before the minimum wage bill passed. However, Breidenthal did not provide information to the county administration spelling out his objections, which stalled staff members' ability to draft a proclamation against the wage increase, Jackson County Administrator Danny Jordan told Roberts and Dyer Tuesday. Breidenthal, who is under investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission for allegedly failing to report some campaign-related donations, has also been criticized by his fellow commissioners for missing board meetings while tallying large expense totals for travel to conferences and outside meetings. With the governor expected to sign the minimum wage bill, Roberts and Dyer decided to act quickly and vote on the issue during a Tuesday work session, rather than a Wednesday regular meeting. "There's no doubt everything is on a real short timeline," Dyer said. In a letter to the governor, the commissioners said up to 67,000 Oregon jobs could be lost due to the wage hike, with hospitality, agriculture and teen employment hardest hit. "It will inhibit businesses from relocating or expanding in Jackson County and the rest of Oregon and encourage existing businesses to relocate to more business-friendly locations, just when we are starting to see some economic improvement," the letter said. Commissioners also voiced concerns about impacts such as higher prices, reduced hiring, cuts to employee work hours, reduced benefits and higher payroll taxes. Supporters of the minimum wage increase have said higher pay comes with a range of benefits, such as allowing lower-income workers to support their families and making it possible for some workers to rely less on public assistance. While the stereotype of a minimum wage worker is a teenager, many who earn minimum wage are single women with children, supporters have said. "No one who works hard living in Oregon or America should live in poverty," Rep. Peter Buckley, D-Ashland, said in a speech before the Oregon Legislature last week. "We are obligated and capable of taking courageous steps to help Oregon workers and their families." Buckley had reached out to Jackson County officials before the minimum wage bill passed, asking for their input. Protesters at the capitol last week pushed for an even higher minimum wage of $15 per hour. For middle-tier counties such as Jackson and Josephine counties, the minimum wage would rise to $9.75 in July and $10.25 next summer. It would continue ratcheting up to the $13.50 mark by the summer of 2022. Wages would continue to go up based on the cost of living after 2022. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Follow @@VickieAldous Posted Feb. 23, 2016 at 4:28 PM Updated Feb 23, 2016 at 4:46 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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