Owning a small business in Cortez is no simple task. The cost of owning a business alone is very high in this area, especially considering the number of people living here, cost of living and source of income. No big businesses except Walmart means people are forced to shop out of town, moving the money from Cortez to other cities. Shopping local isn’t real easy.
Minimum wage was designed as a starting point for teenagers and first time job holders to learn work ethic and responsibility. While I understand and have compassion for those less fortunate or in situations that are difficult (single mothers, people paying for child care, etc.) raising minimum wage makes the employer pay more money for a position that is supposed to be a stepping stone, not a full time career. I feel minimum wage hurts the economy. If the employer wasn’t forced to pay so much for employees that are mostly looking for gas money, etc. – young teenagers, and people not qualified for that much income – then the employer would be able to afford to pay others the $12 or $14 per hour they are worth because of hard work.
If you want to get ahead in life, you have to work for it. You need a determined mind and a willingness to do whatever it takes and work however long it takes to get to the way of life you want to live. It is not the responsibility of the employer to make sure everyone can afford a new car, iPhone, satellite TV, etc. It is the employees’ job to work hard, feel proud of the job they have done and live within their means. It is the employers’ job, however, to make sure that the employees that are making their businesses money get paid accordingly. Hard work and dedication pay off, much more than an entitled attitude.
Dylan Ferguson
Cortez