Senate bill hurts workers

Last Thursday, a shot was fired into the heart of the workers of this state, killing any chance of bettering the lives of Utah's low-income citizens. Sen. Howard Stephenson's bill (SB139) prohibits cities, or other localities, from giving preference to companies that pay a living wage to their employees. Sen. Stephenson justifies his bill by saying "Whenever government gets involved in the free market, it hurts those that it's supposed to be helping."

If this statement is true, the senator must miss the good ole days of 80-hour workweeks, no weekends, hellish working conditions, child labor and no minimum wage — all of which were rectified by government intervention in the market.

Jay Richards

Salt Lake City