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Monday, July 18, 2016

Small Business Owner Explains Options: "Close, Hike Prices, Or Eliminate Jobs"

The mad dash to increase the minimum wage continues. Earlier we reported that New York and California had passed legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15, and in June the District of Columbia also voted unanimously to raise the minimum wage to $15 as well.

In a statement sent to The Daily Signal, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said the following:

The District can be an expensive place to live and therefore the concern about the minimum wage is more acute than would be the case is other areas of the country. I expect that the District will not be alone in the Washington metropolitan region, as similar legislation is pending in populous Montgomery County, Maryland.

One small business owner is not so thrilled about the announcement however. Carolina Story, co-owner of Straw Stick & Brick Delicatessen in northwest Washington said she is in shock about the minimum wage hike. "It puts a big stop on little startups like ours" Story said.

As The Daily Signal reports, Story took to Facebook in order to rant a bit about what the hike means to small business, especially Straw Stick & Brick. Story quickly added up the additional labor costs that the deli would would be forced to deal with as it struggles to stay profitable.

This means that a small business like mine—that needs to fill at least 11 entry level positions would have to pay those employees around $31,000 each per year which would amount to approximately $363,000 per year. Of course we would still need to fill at least [three] management positions which would obviously demand more than minimum wage—say maybe $40,000 per year on the low end (these positions deserve more pay but because of the entry level positions I am forced to be conservative).

That means that our yearly labor cost might rise to $483,000 in 2020. Business owners in my situation would need to make $1,932,000.00 per year in order to have a healthy business, pay ourselves a living wage, and cover fixed and variable costs.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Talked to a couple of small business owners that said if Hillary becomes president they will close,they cant take more taxation and regulations.

Anonymous said...

Waa waa waa, you pheasants work for peanuts and in poverty while I become rich.

I have no sympathy for business owners.

Get Educated said...

136 how did birds enter your scenario? Pheasants or peasants. There lies the question. When was the last time you saw a pheasant working?

Anonymous said...

142 - Typical of the uneducated including so many high school grads) and uninformed who cherish their entry level jobs as a career.

Anonymous said...

Yum, pheasant!

Get Educated said...


Entry level job?! The idiot 136 is the one that said pheasant instead of peasant. Your reading comprehension leaves something to be desired. Get educated. ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“š are your friend. Yes 655 pheasant is most delicious.