NFIB/CA, the largest small business association in California representing 22,000 dues-paying small businesses and over 500,000 employees, issued the following statement in reaction to Governor Brown’s $15 minimum wage announcement today:

“Today Governor Brown and legislative leadership demonstrated a disturbingly clear disregard for the voice of small businesses in California. At his press event, Governor Brown claimed he and legislative leadership listened to and considered the small business perspective in crafting this proposal. NFIB has yet to hear from Governor Brown, Senate Pro Tem De Leon, or Speaker Rendon,” said NFIB/CA State Executive Director Tom Scott. “It is concerning that in the 21st Century we are witnessing dark closed-door deals with no public input or transparency.”

Tom Scott added, “Just two months ago, the Governor opposed a $15 minimum wage on the grounds that it would have devastating fiscal consequences on both the public and private sectors. Although the Governor appears to have changed his opinion, he cannot change the facts: a reckless 50 percent hike in the minimum wage would have deep negative consequences including job loss and increased costs to job creators, senior citizens, and non-profits.”

“Pro Tem De Leon repeatedly claimed this proposal is the ‘pragmatic compromise’ since the ballot initiatives had a more aggressive implementation timeline. Just because a policy is marginally better in his opinion, it does not make it supportable. There is nothing pragmatic about a 50 percent minimum wage hike, compounded by the existing 25 percent increase over the last two years. With regard to the ‘safeguards’ during economic downturns, we understand these would only delay the implementation momentarily—ultimately there would be no safeguard for small business, only a temporary pause.”

NFIB California issued this statement earlier today ahead of Governor Brown’s press conference. Keeping in mind that none of the described deal is currently in print nor has it undergone fiscal or policy analysis, NFIB remains strongly opposed to Senate Bill 3 (Leno) and intends to educate legislators and constituents in their respective districts about the devastating impacts this bill would have if signed into law.