Lawmakers̢??? Obstruction of Minimum Wage Bill Disappointing to Entrepreneurs
Statement by John Arensmeyer, Founder & CEO of Small Business Majority, on lawmakers̢??? move to block a bill from advancing in the Senate that would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10
Some senators̢??? decision today to stall a bill that would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour is disappointing to our nation̢???s small businesses looking for smart policies that will stoke consumer demand and bolster the economy.
Small Business Majority recently polled a random sample of small business owners across the country and found 57 percent support increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10. What̢???s more, six in 10 small business owners in the retail and restaurant industry support increasing the minimum wage. The vast majority of small business owners already pay their employees more than the minimum wage, and believe raising it across the board will provide some extra cushion for their employees and their customers̢??which will strengthen consumer demand and give the economy a much-needed boost.
If lawmakers want to do what̢???s best for small businesses, they should spend their time working to strengthen our economy and promoting smart policies that put more money into the pockets of consumers̢??not holding up votes on important legislation that could benefit small businesses. Lawmakers should listen to what real small business owners want and move this legislation forward in a timely manner.
<p><strong>About Small Business Majority</strong><br />
Small Business Majority is a national small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners to focus on solving the biggest problems facing America's 28 million small businesses today. Since 2005, we have actively engaged small business owners and policymakers in support of public policy solutions, and have delivered information and resources to entrepreneurs that promote small business growth and drive a strong, sustainable economy. We are a team of more than 30 working from our 11 offices in Washington, D.C. and 9 states, with a network of more than 45,000 small business owners and more than 2,000 business organizations, along with a formal strategic partnership program of more than 125 business organizations, enabling us to reach more than 500,000 entrepreneurs. Our extensive scientific polling, focus groups and economic research help us educate and inform policymakers, the media and other stakeholders about issues including taxes, healthcare, access to capital, entrepreneurship, workforce development, clean energy and immigration. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/SBM_Media" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SmallBusinessMajority" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/smlbizmajority/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.</p>