By Sarah Meehan
Baltimore Business Journal, Feb 15, 2013
As state and federal legislators push to raise the minimum wage, Maryland business owners are split over how that change would impact their bottom lines.
Shortly after state representatives introduced General Assembly proposals to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $10 an hour, President Barack Obama during his State of the Union address announced an initiative to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $9 an hour.
Backers of the state bill, such as Del. Aisha Braveboy, D-Prince George’s, were pleased that Obama put the measure on his agenda. She sponsored the legislation in the state House of Delegates.
“It’s helpful if the federal minimum wage is increased,” Braveboy said. “The state would certainly be ahead of the game in terms of meeting that goal.”
... Some small business owners, such as Charmington’s owner Amanda Rothschild, agree raising the minimum wage would benefit companies in the long run. Charmington’s, a restaurant on North Howard Street, already pays its entry-level workers $8.25 an hour, and Rothschild said employees are more loyal as a result.
“It’s never had a negative impact on our business,” she said. “They are happier knowing that they are being taken care of.”
Raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour would not impact the cafe’s bottom line, she said. ...
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