Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Gas prices too high for low-wage commuters

Gas prices have exceeded the maximum amount necessary to allow for minimum wage earners to commute to bedroom communities to work.

As an employee paid only $8.25 per hour, my taxes withheld bring my net hourly wage down to around $6.20 per hour. I work in Jacksonville, Illinois, but rent there is too expensive so I live with my mother in Springfield. Unfortunately, gas prices have gotten so high that I may need to terminate my own employment because I can no longer afford to commute all the way to Jacksonville to work. It has become cost-prohibitive to commute to Jacksonville from Springfield, and back every day.

Unfortunately, I was recruited from Springfield because my expertise is too specialized. The previous employees of my skill set who worked for my employer and lived near enough, have all been fired, quit, or were recruited by more appreciative employers.

There's nothing left at the bottom of that barrel to scrape.