Sacramento - Board of Equalization Member George Runner issued the following statement in response to the Governor's announcement of a tentative deal to raise California's minimum wage to $15 per hour:
"Contrary to conventional wisdom, this dramatic wage hike won't hurt millionaires and billionaires. It will hurt lower and middle class Californians, especially those who live in inner cities and rural areas. Entry-level and low-skilled workers, including young people, will find it more difficult to find jobs, pay for childcare, and eat out. Employers will hire fewer workers and instead turn to automation.
"In a state as economically and culturally diverse as California, it's a shame that our elected officials don't realize that a one-size-fits-all approach to combating poverty won't work in our state. Not every city is San Francisco."
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George Runner represents more than nine million Californians as an elected member of the State Board of Equalization. For more information, visit www.boe.ca.gov/Runner.
