WPCc  }HOsSp\W_cbW 6{q&{R6ÄX,oaRjN"!o:YY'#蝂wǬ9kc6#qn䩶?꽵CHw.F-ibP%FGQ.(PjeSYmL!wݻi=4Nrlp+ d꒓Ȧ< P,%flJDn7 4` hԔ S9v|_M h/ (Ҿ>~?x E~b~GF΢"yi6Mܧw1inqxQ{ZVj\bjEzFTX0:5Urmԡ{T@kOfBcrF@cZhoo}J0|Fz%n 83l*q&'qKnu–v?z)"3cpIPS% #UN % 0:^ w41@ mBYNaHP LaserJet 5,,,,0(9 Z6Times New Roman RegularX($USUS., pR8Z O8acros3|xU  !USUS.,  _  Kansashasaminimumwageof$2.65anhour,whichrankslastintheUnitedStates.  8  SeventeenthousandKansansarepaidatthiswage,anegregiousembarrassment.Theminimum   wagecameofagein1938andwasinitially$.25/hour.Myfirstjobin1943waspeggedatthat   rate.The$2.65ratewasestablishedintheearly1980'sandobviouslyhasntmovedsince.Allof p oursurroundingstateshavesignificantlyhigherrates.ThenextclosestareNebraskaand H Oklahomaat$5.85/hour.Manystates,Iowaisoneofthem,haveahigherminimumwagethan  p thatrequiredbynationallaw. H   Thisbilladdressestheservicebusinesssectorregardingtipsallowing40%ofthewage   reducedtoallowformoneymadewithgratuities.Fora40hourweekthewagepresentlyis$106  and40%applied,makesabusinessoutlayof$64.60perweekinsalary.Thecomparableamount  atpresentoftheFederalminimumwagewouldbe$140.40/week. X    Itseemsstrangetomethatwecontinuetoallowthisdisparity.Lastyearwedidnotvote 0"  thisbilloutofthecommittee.TheRileyCountyCommissionhasaskedmetoaddressthis $X" conundrumwhichIfeelmotivatedtodo.Thisissuehasprofoundnegativesocialimplications %0!$ andKansasisbetterthanthat.Thetimehascometomakeastatementoffairnesstoallatofour '#& workforce. )$( 33RogerP.ReitzM.D. h+&* SenatorDistrict22 ,'+