Annapolis
(March 7, 2014) –
The National Federation of Independent
Business (NFIB), which represents thousands of small business owners in
Maryland, today urged members of the House to reject a proposal to raise the
state minimum wage by nearly 40 percent.
“Small
business owners can’t wave a magic wand and increase their sales by 40
percent,” said NFIB Maryland State Director Jessica Cooper. “They can’t reduce their taxes. They can’t reduce their health care
premiums. They can’t reduce the cost of
supplies or the cost of utilities or any of their other expenses.
“What
makes politicians in Annapolis think that small businesses can absorb an
increase this big,” she continued.
The
House is expected today to vote on a bill to increase the minimum wage to $10.10
per hour, a 39 percent increase over the current rate of $7.25. If it passes, creating an entry-level job in
Maryland will cost almost 40 percent more than it does in Pennsylvania,
Virginia and the Carolinas. And it will
be more than a dollar higher than Delaware, where lower taxes and fewer
regulations already make it more attractive for businesses than Maryland.
“We’re
already ranked among the worst states in the country for business and this won’t
improve our reputation,” said Cooper. “We
can’t afford to keep doing this. We can’t
afford to keep adopting policies that alienate business investors and small
business owners in Maryland because ultimately they’ll go where they feel
welcomed.”
For
more information about NFIB please visit www.nfib.com.