California minimum wage hike voted in

Sacramento, Calif – Monday the California Senate voted to approve a plan to raise the state’s minimum wage up to $13 per hour in 2017 and then automatically increasing it with the rate of inflation after that.

This just after Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law an increase in the minimum wage raising it from $9 an hour to $10 in 2016 making it the highest in the nation with more increases yet to come in 2017 when the wage goes to $13 per hour.

Politicians state that the minimum wage does not reflect the cost of living in California. 

“Full-time workers in this state should not be forced onto public assistance simply because they earn the minimum wage,” This quote from Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, the author of the proposal. 

Republicans, most notably Sen. Tom Berryhill are saying that the minimum wage was never intended to do more than to provide for a startup wage for kids working at McDonalds and Burger King at their first jobs.  It was never intended to support families.

Of course the California Chamber of Commerce is calling this a job killer. A job killer? 

Do you honestly believe that McDonalds, a global company that brings in over $24 billion dollars will give up the chance to serve the 38.8 million Californians with Big Macs and Happy Meals?  I don’t think so.  The same will be true of the other mega cheap employers throughout the state like Wal-Mart, Starbucks and Subway.  The ones who will truly be hurt will be the small startups and family run businesses.       

Currently the bill which was approved by the Senate with a 23-15 vote is on its way to the state Assembly.  It has been rumored that Gov. Brown will sign it if it makes it to his desk.

We will see.