State Representative Tommy Gregory applauded Senator Joe Gruters and incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls for opposing Ballot Amendment 2 on Tuesday.
“I commend Senator Joe Gruters and Speaker-Designate Chris Sprowls for announcing their opposition to Amendment 2 yesterday,” Gregory said in a press release. “Their leadership will make a difference in the vital mission of making Florida voters aware of the significant dangers Amendment 2 poses to our economy.
Gregory, who represents House District 73, established a political committee last week to fight back against the November initiative that would raise the minimum wage in the state to $15. The House Republican says the committee will be used to raise awareness and educate Floridians on the dangers of a constitutionally mandated $15 minimum wage.
“The More Jobs and Better Wages PC was established earlier this month to make sure voters understand that while mandating a $15 minimum wage in the state constitution may sound good, it will end up costing more than half a million jobs, especially those that would typically be filled by young people and seniors,” Gregory continued. ”
Faced with skyrocketing labor costs, many business owners will be forced to raise prices or even to close their doors, forcing even more people out of work.
Spearheaded by TV trial lawyer John Morgan, the Constitutional amendment would gradually increase Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour. The minimum wage would continue to go up by $1 until it reaches $15 in 2026, and it would increase slightly thereafter each year to keep up the consumer price index.
Morgan says he considers a wage boost a “moral, ethical and religious issue” rather than a political one, while proponents of the referendum argue that raising the pay floor would provide Floridians with a living wage that will lift many out of poverty.
Gregory is just one of many officials and associations pushing back on the wage hike. Several pro-business groups, including the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA), have geared up to fight back against the initiative.
On Monday, Gruters and Sprowls joined Gregory and other elected officials in opposing the amendment
“There is never a right time to enshrine a job-stifling, economy-stalling policy in the Florida Constitution, and it’s an especially bad idea now as we work our way out of the pandemic-induced shutdown. I’m grateful that Senator Gruters and Speaker-Designate Sprowls have spoken out on this important issue, and I welcome them to the fight,” Gregory concluded.
The proposed amendment will be considered on the Nov. 3 ballot and will require 60 percent approval from voters to pass.