Letter to the editor: What's a living wage?

The editorial “PNC Bank shows how market forces drive minimum-wage growth” (Sept. 1, TribLIVE) raises some questions:

What number is considered a “living wage”?

Is a living wage for a family of four to be more than that of a single person?

Are fast-food workers entitled to the same wage as trained registered nurses?

Is a widow living on $12,000 per year from Social Security entitled to more benefits?

Wouldn’t the cost of living increase with an increase in living wages?

What does the rich paying their “fair share” mean? How much income classifies one as rich?

Is it “fair” for 1% of U.S. taxpayers to pay for 40% of all federal taxes while 44% pay nothing? Or 20% of taxpayers paying 87% of the taxes? Shouldn’t tax burdens be “fair” and “equal”?

Doesn’t everyone enjoy tax-provided benefits of clean air, water, roads, safe bridges — even the 44% paying no federal taxes?

Who will pay for all the “free stuff” that we are told is a fundamental human right to our existence: health care, education, child care?

Are those providing the services for “free stuff” unpaid volunteers? If not, who pays their “living wage”?

Enlighten me in future editorials, as no one ever answers these questions.

David Scandrol

Lower Burrell