House Majority Leader Comments on Minimum Wage Bills

CONCORD – House Majority Leader Jack Flanagan (R-Brookline) today offered the following comments relative to the four House Bills dealing with raising the minimum wage in New Hampshire that had a public hearing today before the House Labor Committee.

 

House Majority Leader Jack Flanagan (R-Brookline)

 

“These proposals have the potential to negatively affect our job climate in New Hampshire and could threaten the viability of many small and medium sized businesses especially in the hospitality industry, which many workers in our state depend on.  For many small employers, a government mandated wage increase of up to 114% is just not affordable, and they may have to reduce their overall number of employees or raise prices to compensate. In an economy that is still in recovery, this is not a viable option.”

“Raising the minimum wage could also reduce or eliminate job opportunities for our young workers who rely on entry level, part time, or seasonal jobs for valuable work experience.”

“The New Hampshire business community is compassionate and more than capable of making reasonable decisions that best suits the needs of their employees and the viability of their businesses. They know what it takes to attract and retain employees.”

“Republicans aren’t against higher wages. We are proponents of creating the economic conditions for businesses to thrive to ensure everyone has the opportunity to find a good paying job. Government mandates do exactly the opposite.”