Readers sound off on minimum wage, Kansas solutions, backward leaders

Minimum wage, KC

Concern has been expressed for moving too quickly on the minimum wage.

The “unintended consequences” of moving too quickly on raising the wage is speculative while the actual consequences of a wage of $7.65 an hour is starkly apparent.

Tens of thousands of Kansas Citians live in poverty.

Even if, as some claim, huge growth occurs in the hospitality and convention industry, minimum wage workers won't benefit. They will still be making $7.65.

Not all minimum wage workers are in the hospitality and food service industry. They are home health care workers, retail clerks, they work in day care centers, hospitals, nursing homes — you name it.

The average age of minimum wage workers is 35. More than 60 percent are women.

They struggle to support families — often with two or three jobs.

I have always believed that Kansas City, being known as the Heart of America, meant more than geographical location.

We need to show a bold and compassionate heart and raise the minimum wage to a livable wage now.

Mary Bay

Edgerton, Mo.

Solution for Kansas

It seems that those who created the Kansas debt problem should be the ones paying for it.

Cut the legislators’ pay, and furlough the governor who OK'd the problem in the first place.

Shaun Q. McMahon

Westwood

Backward leaders

“Ready, fire, aim” was a teaching point in my Army leadership training to consider all aspects of a situation, sometimes very quickly, and then arrive at a decision. The admonition of course was not to fire before doing an assessment of the situation (ready) and considering all alternatives (aim).

Recent news that Kansas tax collections continue to lag projections mentioned that a study will be conducted to determine where economic efficiencies may be gained. So now we're going to aim after firing off the 2012 tax cuts?

Army officers, who would have proceeded as our Kansas government has acted, would have been relieved of command on the spot. In the business world the manager in charge would have been summarily fired.

So what to do? I suggest all like-minded Kansans strongly urge their relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers, everyone they meet to get out and vote.

The common reasons to not vote are that I don't have time, I don't know the candidates or issues or my vote doesn't make a difference. So start there to educate and convince people to vote.

We can do this. Secretary of State Kris Kobach won't.

Dave Smiley

Shawnee

Campus sexual assaults

In order to protect students on college campuses nationwide, institutions need to be clear about who will handle sexual assault cases as well as how they will be handled. The police should handle all college campus sexual assault cases because colleges and universities are not equipped to investigate them.

They do not have the knowledge or unbiased outlook to do so.

Jillian Miller

Lenexa

Economic justice

The immorality of paying poverty wages to hard-working people in the state of Missouri is something that the Missouri legislature seems to be very comfortable with.

However, within the city limits of Kansas City, this should not be tolerated. If we are to claim the title of a great American city, then we must find ways to bring economic justice to our growing number of citizens who are working at poverty level wages.

Our city leaders know this and also know that if they do not pass a “Fair and Just Wage Ordinance” our majority party in Jefferson City will never help the low-wage worker. Our man Harry Truman said it best: “The Republicans believe in the minimum wage — the more the minimum, the better.” Kansas City must be a leader in the work of economic justice.

Deacon Mike Lewis

Kansas City

Rev. Bob Hill Way

There is a new street sign in Kansas City. It’s on 46th at Main streets and it is named in honor of Rev. Robert Lee Hill on his retirement as senior minister at Community Christian Church, Main Street and Rev. Bob Hill Way.

Rev. Hill has devoted much of his life to the goal of a just society and a better world. He is an energetic creator and innovator and has brought a new way of looking at problems and working toward solutions.

After 30 years at Community Christian Church, after more than 25 years as co-chair of Kansas City’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Service (an assignment that I, Judy Hellman, as a representative of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau/American Jewish Committee, am grateful to share with Rev. Hill), after his leadership and service to numerous organizations working on behalf of social justice and race relations and human rights, the sign on 46th and Main streets isn’t simply a special recognition for Rev. Hill, it should point the way for all people of goodwill to follow his path.

All of us at the JCRB/AJC congratulate Rev. Hill on this milestone in his career and look forward to walking with him along Rev. Bob Hill Way to try to bring about justice and equality for all.

Judy Hellman

Special Projects Director

Jewish Community

Relations Bureau/

American Jewish

Committee

Overland Park

Marvin Szneler

Executive Director