Jason Delgado
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday urged Floridians to vote against a proposed constitutional amendment that would raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“Now is not the time,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Ballot Amendment 2 would close small businesses, kill jobs and reduce wages.”
The Governor’s statement comes only hours before Florida voters will finally decide on Amendment 2. If passed, the amendment would bump the minimum wage to $10 an hour in 2021. It would then rise $1 each year until it hits $15 in 2026.
The amendment’s proponents argue a higher wage would lift many out of poverty, increase consumerism and reduce social program dependency. Alternatively, those opposed warn of the unintended consequences, often citing inflation, layoffs and reduced hours for low-skill earners.
Opponents also contend that the amendment would twist the knife for many small businesses who are already struggling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
DeSantis echoed that sentiment in his statement.
“We need to bring our economy back,” he continued. “Vote no on Ballot Amendment 2.”
Amendment 2 is spearheaded by John Morgan, a prominent lawyer who has poured millions into the amendment. He called Florida’s current $8.56 minimum wage a “slave wage” in late September at a forum.
He also took issue with the COVID-19 argument.
“You can’t just be blaming 9/11 and COVID and the Great Recession for all your woes,” Morgan quipped.
All constitutional amendments require at least 60% approval from voters to pass.
Notably, a survey released last week from Florida Atlantic University shows the measure just over 2-to-1 with voters, with 62% approval, 30% disapproval, and 8% unsure.
A poll released earlier this month from the University of North Florida was somewhat less favorable, meanwhile, with 60% approval and 37% against it.
More than 8.9 ballots have been cast in Florida as of Monday morning.
10 comments
James Robert Miles
November 2, 2020 at 6:38 pm
Typical GOP response to paying a living wage. The GOP is all about the wealthy and corporate America and DeSatan, the ultimate Trump butt-kisser certainly tows the ‘party line!’ So what else is new? The GOP hates labor unions and does everything possible so as not to protect worker rights. The GOP extremist party is the party of the rich and is doing everything possible to destroy the American way of life! The Democratic party certainly has its faults but does a much better job representing working people! VOTE HIM OUT, LOCK HIM UP!! THROW AWAY THE KEY! DUMP TRUMP 2020!! SAVE AMERICA from being turned into a land of the rich, by the rich and for the rich!!
Cogent Observer
November 2, 2020 at 8:44 pm
Clearly, the comment of a person who has never been responsible for meeting a payroll, paying suppliers, paying payroll taxes, or doing much of anything else than collecting a paycheck.
Not all jobs, Mr. Miles, are worth $15/hour($600/wk), nor are the skillsets of many people clamoring for it. How about if you establish a business, run it, hire employees, and pay them $15/hour? Come back in 90 days and tell us how it is going.
Peter Candela
November 2, 2020 at 11:01 pm
Hope it passes. Lord knows that wages are too low to live on, let alone save enough to move up the ladder. The term of “wage slavery” is spot on
Glenn wayne Larsen
November 2, 2020 at 11:53 pm
Voting yes could cement pay rate increases, -do not vote for these increment salaries; you may want to start at $15, then add, i.e., $3 of more each year; if you agree to this pay scale referendum you may be stuck with limited,if any,legroom.
Glenn wayne Larsen
November 3, 2020 at 12:20 am
’tis severely, critically misinformed people like you, with a foul mouth to boot, that wish to shred the Constitution of the United States and implement the Socialist Communist agenda of Bernie Sanders and AOC plus 3. By the by, Bye-den and Kaamaalaa are radical Marxists…please join us and celebrate 4 more years of Trump/Pence. Good day, sir and God bless
Glenn wayne Larsen
November 3, 2020 at 12:27 am
Just for the record, my misinformed person comment is directed to James Robert Miles…
Donna
November 3, 2020 at 7:56 am
The minimum wage $8.56 hourly does not pay the bills. That is why people have to get a second or third job to make it with everything going up. Especially for a single parent with kids
Example Rent, Mortgage, lights and water, insurance, vehicle payments, Food, Gas, child support.
So minimum wage is a Slave Wage. Another thing is that some people who work at $8.56 hourly is only there to collect a paycheck and not really work. I have seen this over and over in the past 40 years. I was a single parent and I had 2 jobs in order to support myself and children. And yes I missed out on a lot of activities and events my children were in.
Karen
November 3, 2020 at 1:14 pm
I voted no on Ammendment 2. For tje exactcreasons Governor DeSantis mentioned. Minimum wage is , at least to me, starting pay. Level entry pay. If you believe you deserve more money, while you are working this level entry pay job, learn a skill or a trade. You are sure to increase your wages that way. Also do not ever feel stuck at a job where ypu k ow you will never be compensated for your labor. Sometimes you have to take a drop in pay to get to where you want to be. So if you have gotten two .50 raises since you were hired this past year lets say,you would be making $9.56. Thats it . No more raises for 5 years. Ypu get an opportunity to work a job thatgaurantees you climb the ladder of success rapidly vut ypu syary put at minimum wage. Your thinking oh man I cant afford to take a drop in pay!! You can’t afford not to!! A raise after 90 day probation and every 3 months following the 1st year. After that 2 evaluations a year determining raises plus the benefits are much better! You get it? Don’t get stuck! If there is no future where you are get out!! Don’t be lazy and don’t settle!- Oh hell life is complicated. We have to figure things out…
Cogent Observer
November 3, 2020 at 1:37 pm
Donna–Your point is? You have not addressed the important issues. People have worked multiple jobs for eons. People without marketable skills should not have had children. If having a child was in error, that is all the more reason to better oneself (education, acquisition of skills). If you don’t, you are only perpetuating that which you complain about and are creating another generation of it. Further, you say that the current minimum wage does not promote “work”–that people only call it “work” to collect a paycheck. If so, it would be no different at $15–they would just be getting a paycheck in a larger amount that an employer has to pay without getting much in return. It is a mindset and ambition-not a dollar amount.
Barbra
November 3, 2020 at 4:01 pm
To cogent observer: do you not realize that those people you deem unworthy of receiving a living wage are the very customers small businesses thrive on to buy their goods and keep them in business? If they don’t get paid enough to buy those goods from the small businessman, then they will go to big chains like Wal*Mart, etc. Hey, betcha never thought of that now did you!!!!
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