2305 East Main Street League City, TX 77573
Miami Heat pg. 10
Women of Troy pg. 5
New Pope pg. 4
March 2013 Volume 89, Issue 6
New bill proposed to raise federal minimum wage By Rachel Wolfe Reporter
President Obama asked Congress to look at a bill that would raise federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $9.00 an hour while adjusting the wage with inflation to further help the low-wage earners in the future. The logic behind the proposal suggests that raising the minimum wage would not only put more money in people’s pockets, but would also help stimulate local economies, as people would be willing to spend more if they earned more. This, plus the fact that the additional $1.75 an hour would help millions of families buy food and other necessities, gives the bill a huge popularity vote. “Even with the tax relief we’ve put into place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong. Let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on earth, no one who works full time should have to live in poverty,” the President said in his State of the Union address. The bill would see the minimum wage rise gradually until 2015, where it would hit $9. The minimum wage would also be tied to inflation, meaning it could rise along with the cost of living. If passed, about 15 million low-income workers would benefit
from the raise, according to CNN. not economic uncertainty. Recent increases, However, the proposal is facing stiff such as the 2007 rise from $5.15 to the opposition. Many companies that hire current $7.25, happened when the economy low-wage workers argue that increasing was seen as expanding, and republicans minimum wage will did not oppose the increase the cost proposal. of running their Even with the business. This would strong opposition, discourage them many continue from hiring new to support the employees, adding to proposal. the already high level “A higher of unemployment in minimum wage is the United States. key to getting the A l s o , economy back on conservatives argue track for working that higher minimum people and the wage jobs would middle class. The further burden job President’s remarks creators, who are also cement the already under stress growing consensus Photo by HiLife Staff due to the poor on the left and right economy. that one of the best way to get “Conservatives worry about the the economy going again is to put money unintended consequences, that you hurt the in the pockets of people who work,” people you want to help,” James Sherk, a Christine Owens, the executive director senior policy analyst at the conservative of the National Employment Law Project, Heritage Foundation, said in a public said in a statement regarding the bill. statement. The federal minimum wage is not In the past, raises to the minimum wage necessarily the minimum wage for the occurred in times of economic prosperity, whole country. States may set the minimum
wage higher, but may not pay employees under the required amount. The minimum wage has already started to rise in many states. Starting January 1, minimum wage earners in Washington State earned an additional 15 cents more, continuing to give them the highest minimum wage in the nation at $9.19 an hour. Other states raising their minimum wage in 2013 include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont. Of the ten states that raised their minimum wage, nine did so automatically to adjust for inflation. Currently, there is no information regarding Texas raising its minimum wage in the near future. Texas does not have a state-specific minimum wage, and therefore adopts the federal minimum wage. This means, unless an employee or their employers are specifically exempt from the minimum wage law, employers may not pay employees under $7.25 an hour. Of course, if the President’s new bill is passed, Texas employees will then be entitled to the new $9.00 per hour. Though the bill has much public support, the strong conservative opposition may delay, or even stop, the bill from having any federal effect any time soon.
School board approves raises and tablet computers By Valerie Hellinghausen Editor-in-Chief
On March 25, 2013 the Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) Board of Trustees approved several important decisions for faculty and students of the district in a board meeting at the Education Support Center. Of the 18 action items listed on the agenda, a first reading of TASB Local Policy Update 96 was discussed as a part of the board’s consent agenda. In response to a long-range compensation plan outlined on March 5, the school board unanimously approved a three percent raise for all employees in the upcoming school year at the March 25 meeting. By approving the compensation plan, the district can remain a competitive area in terms of salaries. In addition to a raise in salaries for CCISD faculty, the board has also unanimously decided to increase the District’s contribution to employee health care premiums. The contribution will raise the current contribution of $225 per month by nearly 18% to $265 per month. These additional funds are expected to help offset the increase in Teacher Retirement System
of Texas Active Care (TRS-ActiveCare) benefits. “We asked our employees to do more with less and forgo a well-deserved salary
unspent general funds from previous years according to a news release by The Guidry News. The three percent salary raise and increased health care contribution is
Photo courtesy of CCISD
increase for two years. While they selflessly rose to the challenge and helped us weather the financial storm surrounding public education, we also recognize that we must improve our salary structure if our community wants to retain the very best in education,” Superintendent of Schools Greg Smith said in a Guidry News press release. Over the past two years, the district has since then cut $12.8 million in expenses, and successfully rolled forward
expected to cost $6 million according to the compensation plan. Aside from faculty benefits, the board also talked about Contract 2013.506 to discuss district technology and accessories. The school board has decided on the tablet computers that will be included in the upcoming bond package that was approved in late February 2013. Should voters in the May 11, 2013 election approve the 2013 Bond Referendum, the school board has named the Dell Latitude 10 as the tablet
the district would purchase. While the board’s decision does not commit any funds towards the purchase of these tablet computers, the proposal from Dell will help to expand the district’s goal of establishing a 1:1 student to technology ratio in grades 4-12 if the bond receives voters’ approval in May. However, the board also allocated a portion of the meeting to recognize several achievements made by the district, its students, and its staff. In addition to all of the newest budgetary changes approved by the board, the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) recently awarded the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) to CCISD for the district’s 2012-2013 budget. This award is given to districts that have shown exemplary budget presentation and surpassed the MBA’s strict criteria. This is the seventh year in a row that CCISD has been presented with this prestigious award that ASBO. For more information and press released articles on the award, updates on the board’s decisions, and upcoming board meetings visit the district website at www. ccisd.net.
Pope Francis waves to the crowd from the papamobile during his inauguration mass at St Peter’s square on March 19, 2013 at the Vatican. World leaders flew in for the inauguration mass for Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square on Tuesday where Latin America’s first pontiff received the formal symbols of papal power. (Maurizio Brambatti/Ansa/Zuma Press/MCT) The Chicago Bulls’ Carlos Boozer scores over the Miami Heat’s Chris Bosh in the first quarter at United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on Wednesday, March 27, 2013. (Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune/MCT)