Tucson Metro Chamber opposes Minimum Wage Act

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TUCSON (KVOA) – On Friday, the Tucson Metro Chamber announced in a press release that it is encouraging Tucson City voters to oppose the Tucson Minimum Wage Act in order to avoid workers being displaced and the cost of goods and services within city limits to be driven up.

The chamber said small businesses would be hardest hit by the proposal, which would raise the minimum hourly wage to $ 15, but only within city limits. Rather than making the city more affordable, the proposal would turn it into an unsustainable small business island, driving up costs instead of shaking hands, it said.

“Small businesses, taken together, are big employers with tight profit margins. After a devastating pandemic that forced many non-essential businesses to close their doors or downsize operations, this bill would create another hurdle that many employers and service providers could not overcome, “said Amber Smith, President and CEO of Tucson Metro chamber. “This law will not lift anyone out of poverty, but it could put many employers out of business.”

The Chamber believes the bill would penalize Tucson businesses, forcing them to pay higher wages than competitors in other parts of our community – including some who might be right across the street.

“The Tucson Metro Chamber helps build an affordable community with competitive wages. The problem of poverty cannot be solved by looking at just one side of the equation, ”said Smith. In addition to higher wages, affordability also reflects the cost of goods and services as well as housing, childcare and transport. The Chamber’s Human Resources Development Plan offers a better path to higher wages by supporting efforts to build high-demand skills through training, work-based learning programs and innovative partnerships between education and industry. These efforts will more effectively increase our citizens’ ability to earn higher wages in the market, while increasing and enhancing local employment opportunities.

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