Our paychecks
just don’t cut it

According to the American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association, Cedar City’s cost of living is about 10 percent below the national average.
That’s good news.
But while living in Cedar City may only cost 90.6 percent of the national average, employees here only get paid about 65 percent of the national average, the Journal has learned.
That’s bad news.
That discrepancy means employees — including SUU students trying to scratch out a living while going to school — have to work extra hours to be able to earn enough to live.
The only other options for students living on their own are to get more money from parents or to go deeper into debt to make ends meet.
The science of economics is convoluted, at best, with shifting dynamics that often seem out of anyone’s control. National and international financial prognosticators seem more like entrail readers as they try to predict what impact an assassination attempt or a business failure is going to have on the economy.
And even though Cedar City might as well be on an island, far enough away from any major city to create its own environment, the principles of free enterprise are quite healthy here.
Why does Kmart pay cashiers less in Cedar City than it pays in Logan or St. George, where the cost of living is similar?
Because they can.
Several large employers have closed their doors in recent years, leaving more people available to work than there are jobs to fill.
There are so many workers in Cedar City willing to work for the depressed salaries that employers would be imprudent to pay more.
That’s free enterprise. There is nothing wrong with making a profit. If an employer ceases to make a large enough profit, the company eventually will go under, or at least file for bankruptcy, such as Kmart has done.
The bottom line is that Cedar City’s economy is a vicious cycle. Students and residents who earn less money, spend less money. When they spend less money, employers have smaller profits. When employers have smaller profits, they look for ways to save money, and salaries are always a major temptation when the budget-cutters are called in.
We have great respect for Mayor Gerald Sherratt. We watched him do miraculous things at SUU, and we know that SUU and its students and employees are still a major concern to him. We know he is working diligently to solve this knotty problem.
But as residents of Cedar City, no matter how temporary, we

 

must do more than just voice concern about the local economy. There is not much individual students can do to change the situation, but collectively, there is a great deal of money being spent outside of Cedar City that should be spent here.
By patronizing local stores for our purchases, minor and major, we can help bolster the local economy and create a better work environment for everyone.
We fear the dismal job situation in Cedar City keeps many qualified and talented students from attending SUU. Students who do not have the resources to attend school without a job are less likely to choose SUU than universities in cities with better wages and job opportunities.
In addition, SUU students lose out on some of the extracurricular learning opportunities the university has to offer because they need to spend more time working here than in other higher-paying cities. When students have to have two minimum wage jobs in order to pay for rent and food, it is hard to travel with a sports team or participate in clubs.
If Cedar City and SUU want to attract qualified, well-rounded people to be part of their communities, something must be done about the job and wage situation. We believe no matter how great the quality of education at SUU, the ability to pay for it will always be a factor.
The opinion expressed above is the collective perspective of the University Journal and its editorial board. The editorial board meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Room 172 of the Sharwan Smith Center. Visitors are welcome.