Brad Jones, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, released the following statement today on HB 1194, legislation that would block cities and counties from rejecting the state minimum wage in favor of a higher local rate:
“On behalf of our members, I want to applaud the House for moving so quickly to offset the state Supreme Court’s wrongheaded decision that cities and counties can establish their own minimum wages.
“Missouri needs a single, statewide minimum wage, not a patchwork of local ordinances that would create a bureaucratic nightmare for employers who do business in multiple jurisdictions. On top of that, if you allow a city to set a higher wage, you’re putting businesses there at a real disadvantage to competitors in nearby communities where the minimum wage—and, therefore, the cost of goods and services—isn’t artificially inflated by local bureaucrats.
“It’s easy for politicians and judges to spend other people’s money. We believe the market—not the courts—should decide how much small businesses pay their employees.
“Our members are asking their senators to pass the bill, and we’re urging Governor Greitens to sign it into law.”
NFIB is Missouri’s leading small-business association. To learn more, visit NFIB.com/MO and follow @NFIB_MO on Twitter.