Article originally posted to the Louisville Business First web site http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2014/11/21/minimum-wage-hike-let-s-think-this-through.html?page=all
Minimum wage hike — let’s think this through
Guest Comment
Luke B. Schmidt
As the president of a small management-consulting firm, I have followed with interest recent discussion in the community about raising the minimum wage.
To begin with, I think that it is fair to say that each of us as employers, employees or consumers want to see that workers are fairly compensated. It goes back to the old saying: “an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work.”
But recent interest on the part of some Louisville Metro Council members in raising the minimum wage in Louisville raises several red flags. It would be easy for the council to pass minimum wage legislation, but there would be several ramifications, including:
Is it really government’s place to dictate to business what workers should be paid? The answer is NO.
Our country operates on the free enterprise system, meaning that government should stay out of the way when it comes to everyday operating issues. Government’s role is to ensure a safe workplace and a competitive marketplace.
Raising the minimum wage would only make Louisville even less competitive with surrounding counties — in both states.
Louisville Metro would transform into an island unto itself and would become a less competitive marketplace when compared to surrounding counties. Retail prices would go up in Jefferson County and could surpass retail prices in surrounding counties, thereby putting local merchants at a real competitive disadvantage.
Raising the minimum wage would result in businesses passing along this added cost to customers. This would affect my consulting firm and every business in Jefferson County.
It most likely would result in some of my company’s local purchases for goods and services being diverted to merchants outside Jefferson County or to the Internet.
The purpose of the minimum wage is to serve as an entry-level wage or a part-time wage, not a full-time wage. The goal should be to get full-time workers up and beyond the minimum wage as quickly as possible.
Focusing on raising the local minimum wage misses the point entirely.
The focus should be on what can be done to improve the climate for creating new jobs — not only in Jefferson County but all of Kentucky.
Here are three things that government can do to create really good jobs going forward:
1. Pass right to work legislation. Kentucky is the only state in the Southeast and one of several in the Midwest that does not have this legislation, which has proven to be a magnet for big-time industrial development. (Read: new high-paying jobs.)
2. Pass meaningful tax reform. The change needs to be more than just a line in the tax code here and a line in the tax code there. Comprehensive, overall reform is required. Kentucky needs a competitive tax system that generates meaningful revenue to fund appropriate government programs/services but doesn’t send potential new business/industrial investment to Tennessee.
3. Pass LIFT, or local-option sales tax, legislation. This would give local voters a say in funding special projects in all 120 counties — projects that would create lots of new construction jobs.
In many respects, Kentucky is no longer (and hasn’t been for quite a while) competitive with most of our surrounding states. Look at the rate of growth, jobs, population, etc., in Kentucky and then compare it with Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Rather than focus on a small piece of the puzzle, let’s focus on big steps that will create thousands of new, high-paying jobs in Kentucky — and Jefferson County. It’s time for bold leadership!
Luke B. Schmidt is president of L.B. Schmidt & Associates LLC, a Louisville-based full service international management consulting firm.
Article originally posted to the WEKU-FM web site http://weku.fm/post/commercial-air-service-pikeville-nashville-officially-takes-flight
By Stu Johnson WEKU News
New Commercial Airline Service in Pikeville Could Bring Economic Benefits
The official launch of Appalachian Air occurred earlier this week in eastern Kentucky. Officials are hopeful new daily commercial air travel between Pikeville and Nashville will allow for new economic development in the region. Luke Schmidt is a Project Consultant for Pikeville Air. “It will now become easier for people who want to travel to Pikeville and eastern Kentucky from other business centers around the country, including people who might be representing companies that are interested in investing in the region, maybe building a factory, creating new jobs,” said Schmidt.
Schmidt says present day economic development is all about access and travelling from corporate headquarters to remote operations. Schmidt says a person travelling from Pikeville could make it to Los Angeles before noon Pacific Time. “You can get on the plane at Pikeville at 6:30 in the morning, arrive in Nashville about 7:00 a.m. with the time change and Central Time. And then you can connect with 50 some odd cities from Nashville,” added Schmidt.
Listen to the interview by clicking on the following link:
http://weku.fm/post/commercial-air-service-pikeville-nashville-officially-takes-flight
Article originally posted to the WOWK-TV web site http://www.wowktv.com/story/27060556/appalachian-air-takes-off
PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) – Appalachian Air is celebrating its first round-trip commercial flight.
WYMT-TV reports the airline flew from Pikeville, Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday and returned about 12 hours later.
The maiden flight had fewer than 10 aboard, but Appalachian Air officials say they think seats will fill up as more people learn about the service. The Jetstream J32 turboprop aircraft holds 19 passengers.
Appalachian Air spokesman Luke Schmidt says officials hope that bringing commercial air service to eastern Kentucky will help the economy.
The flight came about six months later than originally planned because airport officials had to wait to get the proper certifications.
The service will offer daily flights from Pikeville to Nashville.
Information from: Appalachian News-Express, http://www.news-expressky.com
Article originally posted to the Lexington Herald-Leader web site http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/28/3505445/appalachian-air-takes-off.html
PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Appalachian Air is celebrating its first round-trip commercial flight.
WYMT-TV reports the airline flew from Pikeville, Kentucky, to Nashville, Tennessee, on Monday and returned about 12 hours later.
The maiden flight had fewer than 10 aboard, but Appalachian Air officials say they think seats will fill up as more people learn about the service. The Jetstream J32 turboprop aircraft holds 19 passengers.
Appalachian Air spokesman Luke Schmidt says officials hope that bringing commercial air service to eastern Kentucky will help the economy.
“We think that by connecting Pikeville and Eastern Kentucky to the global air system, it will help create jobs,” Schmidt said. “It will help people interested in investing in the region to get here and find out what a great community it is and what is available here.”
The flight came about six months later than originally planned because airport officials had to wait to get the proper certifications.
Skip Holmes with the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce was aboard the flight and said landing close to home was the best part.
“Being able to come here, get in my car, be in my easy chair in 15 minutes, that’s perfect,” Holmes said.
The service will offer daily flights from Pikeville to Nashville.
Meanwhile, the Appalachian News-Express reports that officials are still working with the Transportation Safety Administration in an effort to get screeners at the airport.
Pikeville City Manager Donovan Blackburn called the start of air service in Pikeville a “great day.”
“The development of commercial air service in Pikeville has been a community goal going all the way back to 1968,” he said in a statement. “The City of Pikeville appreciates the commitment and the investment that both Corporate Flight Management and Public Charters have made to the city. Now we want anyone who is planning a trip by air to first consider flying Appalachian Air, no matter where you are going. Chances are you will be able to fly right out of Pikeville and avoid the six hour roundtrip drive to Lexington.”