Dear Editor: Another Letter from the Horseman

Dear Editor,

A letter from the Horseman: I keep hearing all these complains about how employers can’t find people to work anymore, because the pandemic checks are more than what people make working. Well, I think back forty years ago when a ranch in Pennsylvania called and wanted to pay all of my expenses - $1500.00 a month, plus a home and all utilities – to come out and ride colts and do ranch work. Nowadays, it probably still pays the same.

I feel employers should pay the same as a pandemic check of $484.00 a week, plus taxes and benefits for a 40-hour week. This $10.00 an hour thing is 40 years behind. These employers need to pay a livable wage. I am sure our genius Gianforte can figure how much an hour that is. Sure, I see $20.00 and up an hour jobs advertised, most state jobs are required to post a listing before they hire in-house. Most of the time is someone’s kid or buddy who works there. Our Legislature needs to make that $484.00 a week plus all taxes and benefits a mandatory weekly wage, so that people can pay their mortgages/rent and not get foreclosed on or evicted.

By the way, cows were 32 cents a pound and horses were $220.00 forty years ago. Thank God for Trump and his pandemic package.

Robert Lack

Whitehall, Montana