Resources

Two out of three small business owners (67%) support increasing the federal minimum wage and adjusting it yearly to keep up with the cost of living. The strong support for a minimum wage raise is particularly striking since the small business owners are predominately Republican. The poll was conducted March 4-10, 2013 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on behalf of Small Business Majority. The minimum wage, now $7.25 an hour, was last increased in 2009.

U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
Full Committee Hearing, March 14, 2013
Keeping up with a Changing Economy: Indexing the Minimum Wage
Statement of Lew Prince, Co-Owner and CEO of Vintage Vinyl

Testimony PDF

Testimony of Margot Dorfman, Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce

on House Bill 1204 “Labor and Employment - Maryland Wage and Hour Law - Payment of Wages”
before the House Economic Matters Committee, Maryland General Assembly, February 27, 2013

Background

Maryland’s minimum wage is currently just $7.25 per hour, or $15,080 per year for a full-time worker.

Quinnipiac University Poll: Voters Back Minimum Wage 5-1, January 31, 2013

New York State voters support 80 - 17 percent raising the state's minimum wage. Support is 61 - 35 percent among Republicans, 95 - 3 percent among Democrats and 77 - 22 percent among independent voters. Support in every income, age, educational and regional group tops 70 percent.

Read Poll Report

Sienna College Research Institute Poll January 17, 2013

More than 80 percent of voters support increasing the minimum wage in New York to $8.75. There is overwhelming bipartisan support.

Excerpt: "The business owners with whom I talk every day believe that ... raising the minimum wage in fact helps small businesses. ... While some try to portray a minimum wage increase as a fight between business and workers, raising the minimum wage is in reality good for both."

According to a recent poll, 79 percent of Maryland voters believe the minimum wage should be raised to $8.25 in 2011 and increased to $10 by the year 2013.

Support was very strong across the political spectrum, with 89 percent of Democrats, 75 percent of independents and 60 percent of Republicans favoring an increase – as did 62 percent of those who identify as Tea Party voters.

Support was also very strong across income groups. The increase to $10 by the year 2013 was favored by 89 percent of those making under $30,000; 88 percent of those making $30,000 - $49,000; 84 percent of those making $50,000 - $74,000; 75 percent of those making $75,000 - $150,000; and 77 percent of those making more than $150,000.