When I came to Eugene living on the streets no one would remotely hire me at $4 an hour or better wages, which would be the equivalent of the 2nd highest minimum wage in 1985. I had no problem hustling up entry level jobs paying the federal minimum wage. This priceless opportunity provided me a starting point, and the ability to attain skills and experience needed to attain better paying jobs. It's trickle up economics 101. When Oregon liberal democrats raised our minimum wage to the 2nd highest in the nation this killed trickle up. These jobs now require skills and experience to attain. This chained people like me to the streets. We now need a government program to attain an entry level job, right after the employer goes through a program to subsidize our wages. Even then, ask those who truly want off the streets and they will tell you employers will not give them a chance, whereas that wasn't a problem in 1985. (to be continued)