I'm not following the logic behind the annual taxes row. It blows up with child #1, increases again but not nearly as much at #2, and blows up again at #3. Wouldn't having dependents reduce your tax liability? Is this some state tax mechanism? What am I missing?
Living Wage Calculator
31–40 of 53 posts
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#32Isn't this a lot like Socialism? It's akin to deciding on the price of a pair of gloves based on what kinds of people need it, how much they would use it, how long before they need a replacement, etc.
But instead of gloves, we're trying to decide on the cost of labor.
I know I'm dancing around a thorny issue, but I don't think this idea works, in general. Why not just let the market decide?
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#331. US only
2. It seems that "living" does not include almost nothing beyond the immediate living requirements and it does not take into account times you cannot work, can't find job, or simply the fact that a person is a little more than her capacity to be a machine for someone.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#34Isn't this a lot like Socialism? It's akin to deciding on the price of a pair of gloves based on what kinds of people need it, how much they would use it, how long before they need a replacement, etc. But instead of gloves, we're trying to decide on the cost of labor. I know I'm dancing around a thorny issue, but I don't think this idea works, in general. Why not just let the market decide?
> Why not just let the market decide?
The market decides on wage stagnation while costs keep increasing and profit goes exclusively to the upper class. For the vast majority of people, the market doesn't do a very good job.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#35Isn't this a lot like Socialism? It's akin to deciding on the price of a pair of gloves based on what kinds of people need it, how much they would use it, how long before they need a replacement, etc. But instead of gloves, we're trying to decide on the cost of labor. I know I'm dancing around a thorny issue, but I don't think this idea works, in general. Why not just let the market decide?
This is letting the market decide isn’t it? This calculator would have no region-specific wages if the USA were the kind of socialism (I think) you’re talking about.
Figuring out how much an individual (or family) needs to make to survive doesn’t need to say anything about the social, economic or political ideology. As far as I can tell it’s just saying “if you live here, basic survival costs this”
Edit: Italics formatting.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#36I'm not following the logic behind the annual taxes row. It blows up with child #1, increases again but not nearly as much at #2, and blows up again at #3. Wouldn't having dependents reduce your tax liability? Is this some state tax mechanism? What am I missing?
I think the taxes are based more on the income, which they are suggesting has to be more to still be livable. So even though you have more dependents, you are making more money (in order to be livable) and therefore paying more taxes.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#37Isn't this a lot like Socialism? It's akin to deciding on the price of a pair of gloves based on what kinds of people need it, how much they would use it, how long before they need a replacement, etc. But instead of gloves, we're trying to decide on the cost of labor. I know I'm dancing around a thorny issue, but I don't think this idea works, in general. Why not just let the market decide?
This isn’t trying to decide the cost of labour. It’s trying to put an approximate low band on the cost of living.
And the market does decide on the cost of living. This is attempting to quantify that decision into a practical metric.
Not sure why you’d think this has anything to do with socialism.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#381. US only 2. It seems that "living" does not include almost nothing beyond the immediate living requirements and it does not take into account times you cannot work, can't find job, or simply the fact that a person is a little more than her capacity to be a machine for someone.
> It seems that "living" does not include almost nothing beyond the immediate living requirements and it does not take into account times you cannot work, can't find job, or simply the fact that a person is a little more than her capacity to be a machine for someone.
This is very much what the US mentality on social care is like, so at least it's consistent.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#39Isn't this a lot like Socialism? It's akin to deciding on the price of a pair of gloves based on what kinds of people need it, how much they would use it, how long before they need a replacement, etc. But instead of gloves, we're trying to decide on the cost of labor. I know I'm dancing around a thorny issue, but I don't think this idea works, in general. Why not just let the market decide?
A less-discussed issue with capitalism and socialism - it is completely possible for a clever and motivated person to work out what 'should' be in a specific or even a general instance.
The issue is that there is no before-the-damage-is-done mechanism to determine if a given person's assertions are correct or not, so any system that uses those assertions axiomatically will likely fail.
It isn't socialism for this Professor to point out what the living wage would be. If an employee (or employer for that matter) wants to use these figures when negotiating a wage that is hopefully good for everyone.
If the government is going to mandate minimum wages based on what Amy Glasmeier thinks is fair, it will turn out that she isn't very good at adapting to changing circumstances and the huge variety of personal circumstance that appears in practice. Mid-range case is she would become inaccurate (or corrupt!) after a few months or years and start setting wages too low or high. That would also be socialism and would also lead to bad outcomes vs. just letting people do what looks like a good idea to them.
Re: Living Wage Calculator
#40Hmm. Same housing cost ($21,468/yr) in New York county, New York for: - 1 adult, 1 child - 1 adult, 2 children - 2 adults, 1 child - 2 adults, 2 children
What does $1,789/mo lease you in that area? I suspect the data presumes 2 bedrooms: 1 room for parents, 1 room for children. The pattern is effectively the same regardless of state/county.
There are plenty of sub-$2k 2-BR apartments to be found in NYC. I’m not sure where you’d find one in Manhattan (New York County), though. They’re mostly in the less desirable (whether because of crime or commute time to Manhattan) outer-borough neighborhoods.