Living wage is badly needed here

I am writing in response to the article “Up from Poverty” [Commentary, July 18]. I am a 24-year-old college student who has lived in Asheville all my life. It took me a while to decide what I wanted to do with my life. I’m now attending A-B Tech, pursuing a degree in medical billing and coding.

I have always worked retail. That article on the living wage in Asheville is a breath of fresh air. I have found that most people who move here, or these tourists, seem to think that most people living here are wealthy or have great, high-paying jobs. This is just not true.

Most of the college students in the area work low-paying restaurant jobs or retail jobs. They have a terrible time paying bills, and most of them work two jobs and go to school full time. I had one friend who worked three jobs and went to school and still couldn’t make ends meet. She chose to have a baby so that she could get help from the government.

I never make enough money, even when I work overtime and extra shifts. And I haven’t had medical benefits since I was 18. If I have to go to the doctor, I just have to pay as I go. I think that a living wage would help a great deal. I know so many people who would benefit from it.

Asheville is a nice place to live; it’s beautiful and has many interesting things going on. But if it is to keep being this way, we cannot keep ignoring the problem of the expensive cost of living in the area. The next time you are in a store or restaurant, I want you to think about the people that work there—what kind of living situation are they in because of the lack of sufficient wages?

— Ellen Hensley
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.