Poll: Small Businesses Support Minimum Wage Increase
WASHINGTON – Two-thirds of small businesses say they support raising the federal minimum wage and tying future increases to inflation, according to a Small Business Majority poll released today.
“Small businesses understand that bigger paychecks for working families go right back into the economy and to local businesses. This poll is just more evidence that by giving workers a raise, we will grow the economy,” said Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democratic member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee.
Rep. Miller is the House-author of The Fair Minimum Wage Act (H.R. 1010), which would increase the minimum wage to $10.10 over three steps, tie future increases of the minimum wage to inflation, and increase the minimum wage for tipped-workers for the first time in more than 20 years. The bill currently has 135 cosponsors.
This poll comes at the same time as other businesses have come out in support of increasing the minimum wage. Last week, a new association of restaurant owners called on Congress to pass legislation to increase the minimum wage for workers who rely on tips. Also, the CEO of COSTCO, the president of the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the CEO of Starbucks recently voiced their support.
The Small Business Majority Poll also found that:
- 65 percent of small businesses said that they agreed that increasing the minimum wage will increase consumer demand and business sales.
- 85 percent of surveyed small business owners said they already pay their workers more than the federal minimum wage.
- A plurality of poll respondents (46 percent) identified themselves as Republicans.
- 65 percent of small businesses say that increasing the minimum wage will decrease pressure on government spending on taxpayer-provided assistance programs.
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