If this happened our industry would go out of business... read this

[drfrightner]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_2900984.html

Read this nutty congress person from MA I think... she thinks minimum wage should be 22.00 an hour. Keep in mind Obama is aiming to raise the wage to about ten bucks or so maybe more. With all the people we need to run our haunts we couldn't afford 22 an hour not to mention it might crash our entire economy. But even 10 dollars an hour would but a beating on the haunt industry.

What are your thoughts.

Larry

[CreepyCollectionProps]

I guess there goes your animatronic theory =)~

[Deathwing]

I guess there goes your animatronic theory =)~

Lol I like that!

[Jim Warfield]

Wages in 1965 and productivity in 1965 according to stats examined as of now: If wages increased with productivity they would be something like $85.00 an hour.
Of course if a great number were making such an hourly rate, where would that leave those who can't work or retired when a dollar bought more?
Productivity increased probably because of computers being integrated onto machines, which of course was not (directly ) financed by the worker operator of that machine, it was financed by the Corp. or stockholders-owner(s) who need to recoup investment money spent..the employee /machine operator would not be seeing all of the profit from increased speed or quality, but it might be nice to increase their wages more than they usually are...

[Darksidestew]

If wages go up, our industry will suffer. Come on...Really?

Since the beginning of time, wages have gone up. The more money people make the more money they spend. If people are making more...Im charging more. Its just that simple.......

Also, more people will come because they mske more money. Do you think alot of mininum wage earners can go to a 20.00 haunted house when they make 7 bucks an hour? They have to work over 3 hours to go to your house now.

Stew

[Joe P]

That we have been so suckered into this mindset that if we make more you spend more. If they make "MORE" withot doing anything to "earn" more then the only thing will happen is all of the cost of living will go up which does nothing but keep the poor in the poor house. Its not just the hourly wage that makes people poor. Its bad choices...lottery, beer, cigs, too many kids 22 inch rims on your honda. So yes take more from me to give them more and guess what you might get their vote (which is all they really want) but you wont be better off. By making me have less (who runs two of his own business and risks my OWN capital to succeed) you wont make anyone else better off. Oh sure they might get more on their EBT or the Govt can pay for some more pet projects to get brownie points, but punishing the maker to cater to the takers will eventually land us all in the poor house! Now thats SCARY! Next year I am doing a themed Haunt called OBAMACARE! Its a haunt where a bunch of blood thirsty mindless Zombies are caring for the old sick and weak. Should be a HOOT

[ShatteredFX]

If minimum wage goes up that much im closing shop and working at mcdonalds....

[Motograter]

If wages go up, our industry will suffer. Come on...Really?

Since the beginning of time, wages have gone up. The more money people make the more money they spend. If people are making more...Im charging more. Its just that simple.......

Also, more people will come because they mske more money. Do you think alot of mininum wage earners can go to a 20.00 haunted house when they make 7 bucks an hour? They have to work over 3 hours to go to your house now.

Stew

I agree with you Stew 100%. I recently lost my job a year ago, a very well paying job. Since then I've found new employment 5 months ago but my pay has been cut down in half. I now have to think about things before I make any purchases at home and I can't spend money like I used to. I could see myself not visiting my local haunted houses this year just because I don;t have the extra money like I used to.

[HordeOfUndead]

This would definitely hurt the haunted house industry just based on how many actors we all need to put on an awesome show.

I agree, we could charge more for admission or re-budget how many real actor scares needed vs. investing in more animatronics/special FX and hope we can still give our guests a great experience.

Short of that, it comes down to taking a hit on any profit to be made in future seasons if minimum wage were to jump considerably.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I read in The Wall Street Journal a few weeks back if minimum wage does get bumped to the proposed $9-10 range, it won't actually take effect until January 2014.

If that's true we will at least be OK for the upcoming season at the current minimum wage rate.

In either case this article talking about $22/hr is absurd!

[TheGreatPhantasmo]

I'm almost positive my Haunt Owner pays all of her employees at leas $10/hr already because she values the people she has.

I dunno about other places, but here in MA (where Warren is from) you can make $22/hr and it would STILL be hard to afford to live. I'm always shocked by how cheap it seems to live in other parts of the country.