By Ted Skroback
KOAA 5, Nov 9, 2016

Currently minimum wage is $8.31. In 2017, that goes up 99 cents to $9.30 an hour, and it'll keep going up 90 cents each January, until it hits $12.

"We actually pay our employees that minimum wage and more so it's not an issue for us," said Richard Skorman, Co-Owner Poor Richard's shops downtown.

While a lot of small businesses may struggle with higher labor costs, some like Skorman's downtown shops advocated for 'Yes' on Amendment 70 and are happy it passed.

"It would be great for...

By Kate Rogers
CNBC, Nov 9, 2016

Workers in four states will be getting a raise over the next four years. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington State all passed ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage, as momentum continues to build steadily nationwide in favor of seemingly fairer salaries. Citizens of Arizona, Colorado, and Maine will see pay hiked to $12 an hour over the next four years, while Washingtonians will see wages hit $13.50 by 2020. ...

           "WORKERS ARE ALSO CUSTOMERS, AND INCREASED PAY MEANS INCREASED CONSUMER BUYING POWER."...

By Joyce M. Rosenberg
Associated Press (AP), Nov 9, 2016

NEW YORK (AP) — The election of Donald Trump as the next U.S. president has small business advocates expecting policy changes on issues like health care and the environment. ...

MINIMUM WAGE

The approval of minimum wage increases in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and the state of Washington will likely add momentum to campaigns in other parts of the country, says Holly Sklar, director of the advocacy group Business For a Fair Minimum Wage.

"We expect to see more states through legislation and ballot campaigns to...

By Eric Morath
Wall Street Journal, Nov 9, 2016

A sweep of minimum-wage increases approved Tuesday across four states puts the issue—and other polices aimed at supporting lower-paid workers—back on the table, even in places that approved higher pay floors a year or two ago. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington approved ballot questions seeking to raise minimum wages in those states to $12 an hour or more, and then lock in those higher levels in real terms by binding future increases to the cost of living. And in two states, the provision also guarantees sick leave to workers. ...

Meanwhile, voters...

By Kate Taylor
Business Insider, Nov 9, 2016

Four states voted on Tuesday to increase the minimum wage. In Maine, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington, voters passed ballot measures to increase the minimum wage to at least $12 an hour by 2020. More  than two million people will receive pay raises thanks to the new laws. ...

The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour hasn't changed since 2009 and Congress has blocked numerous attempts to raise it.  ...

But there's a ton of research that shows raising wages does not lead to massive job cuts. And not every business owner is opposed to raising the minimum wage. 

"We...

By Lisa Jennings
Nation's Restaurant News, Nov 9, 2016

In what may be the biggest upset in recent U.S. history, real estate mogul and Republican nominee for president Donald Trump was elected to the country’s highest office on Tuesday ... A top business question for the restaurant industry remains whether consumers will feel confident about spending money again once the clouds of the campaign have cleared. ...

Voters in four states approved ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020 in Arizona, Colorado and Maine, and to $13.50 per hour...

By Andrew Soergel
U.S. News & World Report,  Nov 9, 2016

Tuesday was not an Election Day to remember for those on the left, but progressive wage initiatives in four states passed as millions of voters supported efforts to raise pay for those at the bottom of the earnings scale. Arizona, Colorado, Maine and Washington all passed minimum wage initiatives Tuesday that will gradually raise their respective state-mandated base pay levels. Washington will boost its minimum wage to $13.50 per hour by 2020, while the other states will see minimum pay climb to $12 per...

By Patrick Whittle
Associated Press (AP), Nov 9, 2016

PORTLAND — Maine voters have decided to give the state's lowest wage earners a raise. They approved a ballot initiative that boosts the hourly minimum wage of $7.50 to $12 by 2020. ...

HIKING MINIMUM WAGE

Voters decided to put more money in the pockets of the state's lowest wage earners.

A ballot question called for the hourly minimum wage to increase from $7.50 to $12 by 2020. It was approved. The raise will come in installments. The minimum wage is set to increase to $9 next...

By Shay Castle
Boulder Daily Camera, Nov 9, 2016

... "We really feel it's important as a company to support all our employees so that they can continue to live in Boulder or close to Boulder," said Stephanie Carter, co-owner of Boulder's Wallaroo Hat Co."We like to see all those dollars go back into the community."

The company, a Boulder Chamber member with 12 full-time employees, has always paid a dollar or two above minimum wage, at least, and gives employees a raise every year.

Carter said her already well-compensated employees will get raises in concurrence...

By Paul Chaney
Small Business Trends, Nov 9, 2016 

Four states passed ballot initiatives in Tuesday’s election raising the minimum wage. Arizona, Colorado and Maine plan wage hikes to $12 per hour by 2020 while Washington state will increase the minimum to $13.50, also by 2020. Along with raising the minimum wage, the measures in Arizona and Colorado will require businesses to provide employees with paid sick leave.

“Four very different states passed ballot initiatives today to raise the minimum wage,” said Holly Sklar, CEO of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, in a prepared statement. “That speaks volumes...

DENVER (CBS4)– Voters approved a minimum wage increase in Colorado that supporters say will come back to the community. Minimum wage will increase from $8.31 gradually to $12 by 2020.

Proponents of Amendment 70 say the increase will lead to more fulfilled workers that will have a positive change in the community.

“It isn’t like the money goes into the void to never be seen again. It comes right back to the community. It benefits the workers and reduces some of the government assistance so I think it’s a win-win situation for all of Colorado,” said Zo[e] Ma Ma restaurant owner Edwin Zoe...

By Carolyn M. Brown
Black Enterprise, November 9, 2016

After an extremely divisive election and close presidential race, the final winner was Republican candidate Donald Trump. ... How will the policies of his administration affect America’s 28.7 million small businesses? There are critical issues around how small businesses will fare in relation to minimum wage, taxes, healthcare, trade policy as well as other important economic factors.

Minimum Wage Is A Ballot Winner

The minimum wage was a winner this election in four states. Voters supported ballot initiatives gradually raising Arizona, Colorado, and Maine’s minimum wages to $12...

By Wayne Heilman 
Colorado Springs Gazette, November 9, 2016

Colorado Springs business owners praised and panned a minimum-wage increase approved Tuesday by Colorado voters ...

"I thought it was very important to increase the minimum wage since it was almost even with the poverty-level wage in 1969 and for the last 10 years has been averaging about 60 percent of the poverty-level wage," said John Crandall, owner of the Old Town Bike Shop in downtown Colorado Springs. "If it had been $15 instead of the $12 an hour, I would not have supported it. But...

By Eliza Carter 
Colorado Independent, November 09, 2016

Voters have decided it’s time to give Colorado’s minimum-wage workers a long-overdue raise. ...

In a crowded, jubilant second-floor conference room at the Westin Downtown, a group of minimum wage earners, business owners and advocates celebrated.

“Amendment is going to help our local economy,” said Edwin Zoe, proprietor of restaurant Zoe Ma Ma. “When low income workers do well, we all do well.” ...

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By Stephen Feller
UPI, Nov. 9, 2016 

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Voters in four states gave themselves a raise Tuesday, approving initiatives to raise the minimum wage to at least $12 by 2020 -- an increase of more than $4 per hour for employees in some states. ...

The wage increase will help people who "work two or three jobs and have almost no family life," Judy Clinco, the chief executive of Catalina In-Home Services and employer of lower-wage home healthcare workers, told The Wall Street Journal. "The increase will allow them to advance themselves." ...

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