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There's been a lot of discussion here in Oregon and nationally about Chris Dudley's statement that "it doesn’t make sense that our waitresses are getting tips plus the highest minimum wage in the country."

Why is he taking on "waitresses"? (Please, Chris, let's not make this a gender thing, OK?)

Here's the deal: In just over a dozen states around the country, the minimum wage isn't actually the minimum. In those states, workers that receive tips from customers are paid a sub-minimum wage by their employers.

This does not, of course, make a damn bit of sense. A wage is what you get from your employer for the time you spend helping your employer earn a profit. A tip is a gratuity, money offered voluntarily directly by the customer in gratitude for good service.

But, since restaurant owners tend to be politically powerful -- both individually in local communities, and as a group at the state level -- they've managed to finagle an exception to the minimum wage.

Here's how the "tipped" minimum wage breaks down around the country:

Hawaii, $7.00

Connecticut, $5.69

Illinois, $4.95

Iowa, $4.35

Florida, $4.23

Colorado, $4.22

Vermont, $3.91

Maine, $3.75

Ohio, $3.65

Maryland, $3.63

Rhode Island, $2.89

Massachusetts, $2.63

Wisconsin, $2.33

Wyoming, $2.13

So, the question for Chris Dudley is this -- how low do you believe the minimum wage should go in Oregon?

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