To the editor: His article mentioning the state's decision to postpone a mandatory minimum wage increase for healthcare workers due to the budget emergency pointed to a classic problem. (“Newsom, lawmakers use cuts, reserves and 'fiscal emergency' declaration to resolve budget deficit,” June 22)
California recently imposed a $20 minimum wage for some, but not all, food service workers. The economic implications of these two measures were entirely predictable but apparently of little or no concern to the special interests who supported them and the state officials who enacted them.
But now the State is forced to face the economic reality of balancing the budget and, surprisingly, that cannot be achieved with the mandatory salary increase for healthcare workers.
Of course, lawmakers decided not to do anything about the $20 minimum wage in fast food, which has similar economic impacts, though not directly on the state budget.
It's nice when you can create and remake the rules. It would be better for all of us if California legislators thought about the consequences of their actions for the public, and not just their special interests, before taking them.
Kevin Daly, Newport Beach
