Driving down Highway 160, here in Pagosa Springs, I got a warm, fuzzy feeling seeing the marquee sign at the McDonald’s, offering “$16 per hour and Up”.
After all these years of employers paying starvation wages in Pagosa, this seems like a step in the right direction.
Well, not exactly starvation wages. But pretty low wages, compared to the cost of living.
A recent report from Region 9 Economic Development District said, “Using housing and childcare costs specific to each community, we found that the Town of Pagosa Springs is also the most expensive community in the region for a family of four ($21.97 per hour for each working adult) due to the high cost of housing.”
$16 per hour isn’t quite equal to $21.97 per hour, but it’s closer than $11 per hour, which is what a lot of employers here were paying a couple of years ago.
Too bad we couldn’t have earned $16 an hour, back when you could actually survive on that wage.
Colorado’s minimum wage — approved by the voters — is now $12.56. Slightly more than half of what you need to maintain a family in Pagosa. But the voters wanted to see the minimum wage increase with inflation, so the latest calculation suggests Colorado’s minimum wage next year will be $13.68.
If things keep going like this, we might all be earning $16 an hour, someday.
Unfortunately, by then, we will need to earn $30 an hour to afford to live here.
But I’ve made a decision to be happy with $12.56. (And equally happy with $13.68 next year.) There’s definite advantages to living in Pagosa Springs and paying 80% of my paycheck (after taxes) for rent.
For example, I’ve stopped buying expensive bottled water. I drink the water out of the tap, just like the pioneers used to do. I hear that the Archuleta County dump is nearly full, probably from all of us buying water in plastic bottles. So that’s one of the benefits of not having enough money. You create less trash.
Please understand, I’m not one of those environmentalists. I would never hug a tree. Or a wolf. But, if I know anything about the Archuleta County government, they are likely to build the new landfill right behind my house, just to piss me off.
Another really good thing about inflation. The tourists have to pay more for everything, when they come here.
I don’t know how Daily Post readers feel about tourists, but I don’t especially being around them. They always seem like they’re having a good time. Soaking in the hot springs, tubing in the river, browsing the t-shirt shops. Not a care in the world.
Smiling happy people. Who wants to be around them?
I much prefer to hang out with my friends and listen to them talk about how bad they have it, trying to survive here. What’s the phrase? Misery loves company?
Also, inflation means that our local governments collect more taxes. The price of real estate skyrockets, and that means more property taxes. The price of food and gas spirals up, and that means more sales taxes.
That means salary increases for government employees. With any luck, they will be able to afford new cars. (But hopefully, not bottled water.)
As my father used to say, “When your government ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all.