Wednesday, April 23, 2014 • Whidbey News-Times
GLENDALE CONTINUED FROM A6
it worthy of consideration. Whidbey is an island. There is only so much land. Growth won’t stop. Everyone wants a view. In other words, every beach is precious. This is not a new argument. Beach access is just as important now, as it was 50 years ago, and 50 years from now island residents who can’t afford the half million dollar price tag for shoreline property will look back and thank the leaders of today for their foresight. n Justin Burnett is editor for the South Whidbey Record.
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The search for state parks funding THE PETRI DISH
By JERRY CORNFIELD A task force appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee began work today on finding a better way to fund the state parks system and promote Washington’s multi-billion dollar outdoor recreation
industry. Inslee also wants the panel to come up with ideas for getting children to spend more time recreating in the outdoors, which he hopes will help stem the spread of obesity among the state’s youngest residents. The 17-member Washington Blue Ribbon Task Force on Parks and Outdoor Recreation is supposed to deliver its recommendations in
September. Panel members come from the private, public and nonprofit sectors and do not receive salaries for their participation. They include representatives of REI, Outdoor Research, The Wilderness Society, Trust for Public Land, Sierra Club and Washington Tourism Alliance. Connor Inslee, chief operating officer of Outdoors for All Foundation and one of the governor’s three sons, is on the panel too. The group helps disabled children and adults enjoy all facets of outdoor recreation. The panel’s toughest challenge may be coming up with a means of providing sustainable funding for the cashstrapped state parks system. Inslee said if they come up with the ideas, he’s willing to expend political capital to get them through the Legislature. “This is a very critical task because our state parks are in a very critical situation,” he told the panel at its inaugural meeting in Olympia this morning.
“It is tragic in my view to have the most beautiful state parks naturally in the United States and the most pathetic excuse for a lack of political and financial support perhaps in the United States,” he said. Inslee also wants suggestions on how the state can attract more tourists to Washington to recreate in the outdoors. A report issued last year by the Outdoor Industry Association found $22.5 billion is spent annually in the state on outdoor recreation. The industry supports 226,600 jobs and generates $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenues, said the report. Inslee knows the task force has a big order to fill. “The state is counting on you,” he said. “My grandkids … are counting on you.” n Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com. Call him at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@heraldnet.com
Total compensation is key in minimum wage debate GUEST COLUMN
By DON C. BRUNELL One of the problems with the minimum wage debate is the name itself. If we want to ensure that we don’t hurt lowerincome workers, we should consider total compensation, not just wages. Case in point: Bill H. earns $15 an hour as a parking lot attendant. Lisa W. earns $12.25 an hour at a fast food restaurant. But Lisa’s employer provides merit raises, paid vacations, health insurance, management training, education scholarships, childcare assistance and a 401k retirement plan. Who is better off? Would it help or hurt Lisa if she lost all her benefits, but gained $2.75 an hour in wages? We need to consider that question as part of any debate about the minimum wage. The truth is, raising the minimum wage is not as clear or as simple as
some would have us believe. Let’s leave aside for a moment the fact that no city or state has ever attempted to raise its minimum wage by 60 percent. Most experts agree that the more extreme and abrupt the increase, the more economic casualties it creates — lost jobs and lost opportunities. But as any employer knows, there is much more to employee compensation than wages. According to a March, 2014 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, private-sector employers pay an additional 30 percent on top of wages for employee benefits such as Social Security, Medicare, workers compensation insurance, unemployment insurance, paid leave, health care, retirement, etc. For example, the BLS reports that, while the average service worker makes $12.17 an hour, their benefits bring their total compensation to $16.95 per hour. Because Washington’s current minimum wage is the highest in the nation, employer costs – and employee benefits – are likely greater here. Take Dick’s Drive-In, for example. An iconic Seattle-area institution for 60 years, Dick’s Drive-in provides good wages and generous employee
benefits. According to Jasmine Donovan, granddaughter of founder Dick Spady, employees start at $10.25 an hour, receive regular merit raises, health insurance, $22,000 in scholarships over four years, child-care assistance, bonuses, paid vacations, a 401(k) retirement plan with a 50 percent employer match and paid volunteer time at local charities. These benefits push the total compensation for employees of Dick’s Drive-In above the targeted $15 per hour minimum wage. But if the company is forced to bump wages to $15 per hour, it will not be able to afford the employee benefits it currently provides. Donovan cautions, “Employees who earn higher taxable wages, but lose valuable tax-free benefits may end up worse off.” The same is true for the employees of Burgerville restaurants. Founded in the 1960s, Burgerville operates 39 restaurants from Centralia, Wash., to Albany, Ore. Like Dick’s Drive-In, Burgerville management is focused on helping their employees succeed. Employees who work their way into management positions get free management training, medical and
dental insurance, a 401k plan with a company match, paid vacation, child care assistance and tuition reimbursement. These benefits have value — value that must be considered in any discussion about raising the minimum wage. What else should that discussion include? Donovan suggests that the minimum wage should increase with education and skill levels. High-school dropouts who earn a GED would get a bump in their minimum wage; high school graduates earn a higher wage. Technical or management degrees net an even higher wage. These steps not only recognize the added value of education and skills, they provide incentives for people to achieve those goals in order to get higher pay. The skills and education they gain as a result will help them succeed throughout their lives. Isn’t that what we really want? n Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He recently retired as president of the Association of Washington Business. He now lives in Vancouver, Wash. He can be contacted at theBrunells@msn. com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE A6
got till it’s gone. They paved paradise and put it a parking lot.” Joni Mitchell. The Greening Congregations of Whidbey invite you to join us 7 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation Freeland for the film Growthbusters: Hooked on Growth. At 7 billion and growing, with 40 percent of the planet’s surface in food production and our effluence poisoning our land and water, it is clear that
our growth-centric system is broken. It’s not providing the happiness or the prosperity we seek. Water shortages, hunger, peak oil, species extinction, even increasing depression are all symptoms of a deeper problem — addiction to unending growth in a world that has limits. This film goes beyond prescribing Band-Aids. It examines the cultural barriers that prevent us from reacting rationally
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THE DATE
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to the evidence. From Las Vegas to Atlanta; Mexico City to Mumbai; the White House to the Vatican — it’s Wild Kingdom with a twist. It looks into the psychology of denial and crowd behavior, explores our obsession with growth and our reluctance to address it while encouraging us to examine the beliefs and behaviors we must leave behind — and the values we need to embrace — so our children can survive and thrive.
Following the film, the Whidbey Environmental Action Network will discuss their 25 Years of celebrated conservation in Island County. The times, they are changing. As Will Rogers said, “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” Don’t just sit there. Come on out for this important event. Gary Piazzon UUCWI Environmental Justice Committee
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