The Problem Might Not Be the Person You Think It Is
In general, I'm trying to give at least a little more grace to people right now — to know that everyone is under an insane amount of stress, and so when they say something (especially on Twitter or Facebook), that they might not be their best selves.
But I beg of you to consider the other side before you make a grand statement.
If you are a parent who is now basically homeschooling while your kid is trying to achieve distance learning in a platform that teachers almost literally created from scratch overnight, I *really* hope that, a few weeks back when Saint Paul Public Schools teachers were striking, you did not complain about how teachers were greedy and always wanting more.
If you are worried about people paying rent — which so many people are right now and that is real pain — please don't make sweeping statements like "Screw the landlords." Please remember that there are a lot of landlords who maybe own one or two units, perhaps the apartment above them in the duplex they are struggling to pay for, or a small house they bought to try to fix up make the neighborhood a little better. There are people who charge the lowest rent they possibly can because they know what it's like to try to find affordable housing, and who feel terrible every time that rapidly increasing taxes and fees mean they have to increase rent in order to even break even.
If you want a diverse business culture, please don't assume that business owners are all out to rake in profits while exploiting their workers. Most small businesses are REALLY small — with a median income in MN of $50,209, with self-employed and unincorporated median of just a little more than half that at $26,111 (thanks, Davis, for the numbers!). If that business was lucky enough to employ workers that they had to lay off, at least those workers are getting unemployment. In general, there is NO unemployment benefit for small business owners. They are literally bringing in nothing, and if last year was not immensely profitable, they are firmly in the red by now.
So that little vintage shop that you love? That owner has to be closed right now, but still incurs rent and overhead. That little donut shop that that entrepreneur opened last year? Just had to close and sell off his equipment so he can pay out his employees' last wages and maybe a little of the quarterly sales tax due (that just got a whopping 30-day extension.)
Look, I'm not saying that there are not terrible landlords; as you well know, I've ranted a lot about huge new apartment buildings featuring cute names, lovely common rooms, tiny units and big rent. And there are a lot businesses that do do despicable things to their employees and the community (though I would argue that those are generally a lot larger companies, and remember that the federal definition of a "small" business us under 500 employees.)
But when you say those things, I want you to remember someone like me, who is both a landlord and a small business owner. And if you want to talk about how terrible it is that I am both of those things, and how much money I must have from those endeavors, I would like to have a very real conversation about that. Because I think you would be surprised.
But I beg of you to consider the other side before you make a grand statement.
If you are a parent who is now basically homeschooling while your kid is trying to achieve distance learning in a platform that teachers almost literally created from scratch overnight, I *really* hope that, a few weeks back when Saint Paul Public Schools teachers were striking, you did not complain about how teachers were greedy and always wanting more.
If you are worried about people paying rent — which so many people are right now and that is real pain — please don't make sweeping statements like "Screw the landlords." Please remember that there are a lot of landlords who maybe own one or two units, perhaps the apartment above them in the duplex they are struggling to pay for, or a small house they bought to try to fix up make the neighborhood a little better. There are people who charge the lowest rent they possibly can because they know what it's like to try to find affordable housing, and who feel terrible every time that rapidly increasing taxes and fees mean they have to increase rent in order to even break even.
If you want a diverse business culture, please don't assume that business owners are all out to rake in profits while exploiting their workers. Most small businesses are REALLY small — with a median income in MN of $50,209, with self-employed and unincorporated median of just a little more than half that at $26,111 (thanks, Davis, for the numbers!). If that business was lucky enough to employ workers that they had to lay off, at least those workers are getting unemployment. In general, there is NO unemployment benefit for small business owners. They are literally bringing in nothing, and if last year was not immensely profitable, they are firmly in the red by now.
So that little vintage shop that you love? That owner has to be closed right now, but still incurs rent and overhead. That little donut shop that that entrepreneur opened last year? Just had to close and sell off his equipment so he can pay out his employees' last wages and maybe a little of the quarterly sales tax due (that just got a whopping 30-day extension.)
Look, I'm not saying that there are not terrible landlords; as you well know, I've ranted a lot about huge new apartment buildings featuring cute names, lovely common rooms, tiny units and big rent. And there are a lot businesses that do do despicable things to their employees and the community (though I would argue that those are generally a lot larger companies, and remember that the federal definition of a "small" business us under 500 employees.)
But when you say those things, I want you to remember someone like me, who is both a landlord and a small business owner. And if you want to talk about how terrible it is that I am both of those things, and how much money I must have from those endeavors, I would like to have a very real conversation about that. Because I think you would be surprised.
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