By Mitch Perry
Spectrum News, Bay News 9, Feb. 16, 2021
Among the most controversial bills filed in advance of the 2021 Florida legislative session is a proposal by state Sen. Jeff Brandes that would amend the constitutional amendment passed last November that raises the minimum wage to $15 an hour in 2026. The St. Petersburg Republican’s measure would allow the Legislature to exempt convicted felons, people under 21 and other “hard to hire” workers from receiving that higher wage – but it would only go into effect if passed by the voters as a constitutional amendment. ...
Leigh Anne Balzekas runs the Disco Dolls Studio in Tampa. She’s one small business owner who supports raising the minimum wage.
“As soon as the stimulus package came in, I saw sales rise in my store,” she said Tuesday. “If we are paying people fairly, they will stimulate the economy.”