Dear Editor:

With sadness I read the purported opinion of Senator Katz pushing a lower minimum wage. I use “purported” because I had heard these identical words by a member of the Maine Restaurant Association and certainly read similar cries when west coast towns were proposing higher wage increases -- $15.00 vs. the economically researched $12.00 per hour in three years. Maine begins with $9.00 from $7.50 or 20 percent not 60 percent. It results in an 11 percent raise in year 2, a 10 percent raise in year 3 and a 9.1 percent raise in year 4 when it reaches $12.00. Seven states (Alaska, California, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington), require employers to pay tipped workers the same minimum wage as non-tipped workers.

The per year wage increase begins at 20 percent for labor if restaurants are only paying $7.50 per hour. The fact is most are already paying $12.00 or higher per hour. The reader should then be asking why is the organization pushing back on an increase that has been in the public eye for more than a year and has zero impact on their profits? The good Senator uses words of alarm “would dramatically drive up costs for every restaurant” – a sign of hiding truth. The good Senator uses name calling “the far-left Maine People’s Alliance” – another sign he has no facts and wants to hide truth from the public.

It is prudent to remind readers that from 2009 to 2016 seven years passed during which time family grocery costs increased 37 percent to 59 percent, prices in restaurants have also increased less, but base tipped wages have remained flat. If all restaurants have to fill in the difference between the base pay plus tips to be sure a minimum wage is earned, why would it matter if tipped wages became the new baseline? The law does not stop tips.

The current tipped wage laws allow earned income not subject to FICA and other taxes to be paid by the worker – your tips save the restaurant money, but cost the worker more – especially in the long run when they retire. MPA defines themselves as seeking justice and fairness for workers. Is the good Senator against justice or fairness?

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb