Written by Nathaniel Mannor
Joe Sanberg, a progressive tech investor, wants to put a measure on the 2022 ballot to raise the minimum wage yet again to $18 an hour as of 2026. This comes as California businesses with 26 or more employees have to pay workers $15 an hour as of this January 2023. We haven’t even begun the $15 requirement, and already we still aren’t satisfied. Last year Sanberg tried to pass a bill that would, “tax extreme wealth” but failed.
Sanberg stated that “if you work full time, you should be able to live with full financial security, and that’s not the case in California.” That’s a good point, but raising the minimum wage hurts small businesses and the workers that progressives claim to support.
Here’s a simple math problem: I run a small business in California with three employees that I pay $10 an hour. Suppose California raises the minimum wage from $10 to $15 an hour, and assuming I’m not a greedy owner keeping extra money for myself (as the Left wants us to think of small businesses). How many employees can I afford to save?
Pencils down. The answer is two. I can only keep two of my three employees if California forces me to pay my employees a higher wage than what their work is valued at. This example also doesn’t consider that by raising the minimum wage, stores must hike prices and disenfranchise poor people who can no longer afford the California lifestyle. Couple the rise in prices, California has been hit with a number of smash-and-grab robberies and uncertainty regarding the Omicron variant, California could suffer even more then it currently is.
This is why people are leaving California for red states like Texas and Florida. Until Democrat lawmakers realize this, Republicans will gain more and more support because our policies help everyone.
Photo Cred: Pablo Unzueta for CalMatters
