My Essay, corrections would be appreciated!!! Thanks alot!!!

I am confussed about having my essay in 1st person, should I avoid it all together??? Please Help!!!

The essay is in MLA Format and also, I the essay I used to help me with my essay is "The Employment Effects of Living Wage Laws," by Bruce Bartlett.

Title: The Effects of The Living Wage Law

A living wage rate is a wage sufficient for a worker and family to subsist comfortably. However, according to “The Employment Effect of Living Wage Laws,” Bruce Bartlett explains the effects of the living wage laws. He explains that the living wage rate is often tied to the poverty level income of four, yet it “hurt low wage workers, and that the living wage law has an effect on taxpayers and business people” (Bartlett, 601). I find that although the living wage pays higher than the minimum wage, and decreases the poverty rate, it does have an effect on the employment of workers, especially those who are earning a low wage salary, taxpayers, and businesses.

I agree with Bartlett that the living wage law does have a negative effect on the employment of workers. The living wage law states that an employee is to be paid above the minimum wage, and that the employee would make enough money to provide a comfortable life style for the worker and family. However, I disagree that all workers may benefit from the living wage law because it only targets certain group of workers. For example, Bartlett said that “The truth is that living wage campaigns are mainly fronts for municipal employee unions” (Bartlett, 601). That only cuts about a small percent of workers off of the poverty level; however, the majority of people who work for non-government, blue color jobs, may have to work more than one job.

Another negative effect Bartlett stated in his essay is that he provided a study that was done on the living wage law by David Neumark. Neumark said “The higher the wages for some workers are offset by higher unemployment for others” (Bartlett, 601). Base on this statement, I believe Neumark is suggesting that employment is a supply and demand for workers. For instance, if there were jobs that offer a higher wage such as was in a city that enacted the living wage rate, more people will aim to leave their current jobs for higher paying ones. Workers may find it difficult to get hired due to the high demand for the job; therefore, creating a higher unemployment.

According to Bartlett, another reason why the living wage law would have an effect on workers is that for people to get paid by the living wage, “…someone has to pay the bill for higher wages. That person is the taxpayer, who must pay higher taxes for the same government services.” (Bartlett, 601). Taxpayers will feel the effect of the living wage law because they have to pay higher taxes in order to provide higher wages for the living wage rate. I would doubt that anyone would want to pay higher taxes just for a higher wage. For an example, if I work in a city that enacted the living wage law, I am required to pay taxes in which it will pay for higher wages for the living wage. Therefore, it would not make a difference if I work for a living wage salary, it would still be like earning minimum wage. Also, the living wage law is bad for private businesses because it will force businesses to relocate. The living wage poses a big threat to their economic health, because the costs and restrictions the living wage imposes on private businesses will destroy jobs, especially low wage jobs.

Bartlett overall states that although the living wage law does decrease the poverty level; the fact of the matter is, the living wage is “silly to treat every worker as if he or she is the sole wage earner on a four person family” (Bartlett, 600). What I think Bartlett means by this phrase is that according to the living wage law, the sole wage earner is paid according to a family size of four. This is unjust because there are different size family in terms of numbers and also, Bartlett said “people should be paid according to the value of their output, irrespective of race, age, sex, family status or other extraneous factor” (Bartlett, 600). The Living Wage Law is bad news for cities. I believe there is some flaws in the living wage law and that the living wage law should be taken a closer look at to improve the standards of workers for them to make a living without going under the poverty level.