Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday questioned a proposal to increase Florida’s minimum wage through the constitutional amendment process, warning about effects on the restaurant industry.
DeSantis focused on the minimum wage proposal as he railed against policy-oriented constitutional amendments that he said put “handcuffs” on future legislation, as he opened an Associated Industries of Florida conference at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center in Tallahassee.
DeSantis, speaking in a closed-door meeting that his office streamed live on Facebook, pointed to part of the proposed minimum-wage amendment that would increase the amount of wages that restaurants would have to cover for tipped employees. He said it is “going to cause big, big upheavals for the restaurant industry. It just will.”
“When you put that in the Constitution, we can’t just go back and say, ‘Oh, let’s tweak it, let’s do that,’ ” DeSantis continued. “You literally would have to go back and do another constitutional amendment.”
DeSantis has been a critic of the amendment process, which he argued Monday is a “cottage industry” for consultants and a “game” for the wealthy.
“If you’re going to amend the Constitution it should be provisions similar to what we’ve seen with the federal Constitution,” DeSantis said. “Term limits, which we have. Two-thirds (legislative majority) to raise taxes. Structural changes or things where you are protecting individual rights.”
Orlando attorney John Morgan, who chairs and has largely bankrolled the political committee Florida For A Fair Wage, strongly disagreed with DeSantis’ assessment of the process. Morgan’s committee was on the verge Monday of submitting enough petition signatures to the state to get the minimum-wage measure on the November 2020 ballot, though it also needs the Florida Supreme Court to sign off on the proposal’s wording.
“Had voters not weighed in (by passing a constitutional amendment) we would not have medical marijuana. The pharmaceutical industry would have ensured that. Felons would not have the right to vote,” Morgan said in an email. “He (DeSantis) has a chance to have a fair minimum wage enacted in the next session. If it was fair, maybe I could agree. If it is eyewash I will know. If it is fair, I will drop my initiative.”
Morgan also disputed DeSantis’ assessment of amendment backers.
“This is not a game to me. It is a matter of morality and dignity,” Morgan said. “Our democracy gives power to the people. Special interests don’t like that. Tell the governor to tell me what he would propose. So far it is zero. He is a very smart guy. Show us something real.”
Florida For A Fair Wage is seeking voter support to increase the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour on Sept. 30, 2021 and increase it by $1 each year until it hits $15 an hour on Sept. 30, 2026.
The state’s minimum wage this year is $8.46 an hour, with tipped employees at $5.44 an hour. Restaurants receive what is known as a “tip credit” for the difference, which would remain at $3.02 an hour under the constitutional amendment. That would have the effect of gradually increasing the amount restaurants have to pay in wages.
The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association said on its website that most tipped employees make more than the proposed $15 minimum wage, and the proposed amendment would result in businesses shifting from tipped employees towards automation or employees at the fixed hourly rate.
“The restaurant industry is the industry that most often violates the wage laws,” Morgan said in his email. “Sixty percent of restaurants fail in the first year. Eighty percent fail in four years. It is a bad business that can only work by cheating employees and paying slave wages, usually.”
Florida For A Fair Wage had submitted 766,058 valid signatures as of early Monday afternoon, according to the state Division of Elections website. It needs to submit 766,200 valid signatures by a February deadline to be eligible for the ballot.
Another proposal that could go on the November 2020 ballot, meanwhile, would make it harder to amend the Constitution in the future. That proposal would require voters to support constitutional amendments twice — rather than once — for them to take effect.
DeSantis noted that Illinois, where he traveled in August to pitch Florida to financial-sector companies, is struggling financially, in part, because of pension requirements that have been in that state’s Constitution since the 1970s.
“We can do good policy at the state level, but if the Constitution is being changed in ways that are going to create roadblocks for reform or prevent us from dealing with problems in the future, that’s something that is a cause for concern,” DeSantis said.
In June, DeSantis signed a controversial measure expected to make it harder for citizens’ initiatives to reach the ballot. The law, in part, requires petition gatherers to register with the secretary of state and to be paid hourly, rather than based on the number of petitions collected.
“We’ll see how this new law shakes out, and we’ll see if there is anything more that we can do going forward,” DeSantis said Monday.
–Jim Turner with Dara Kam, News Service of Florida
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John waters says
Flagler Live, is like having mini New York city down here. A bunch of liberals, who ruined up there , coming to do the same down here. Palm Coast, was a great place to live 20 years ago, and now look, a mess, crime , gangs, people renting out rooms in homes, a real joke.
Pierre Tristam says
John, what bunch of liberals? What neighborhood are you living in so I can go there? 20 years ago the near-totality of public offices in Flagler were held by Democrats. They’re all, with all of three exceptions, held by Republicans now, and one of those two exceptions is the political equivalent of a transgender Republican who hasn’t transitioned yet while another one of the three is a party-switching schizophrenic. Ten years ago the county still had a small Democratic majority in party registrations. Republicans now have a 10,000-voter advantage, with independents poised to overtake Democrats. Flagler is redder than Utah. Trump carried every single precinct in the 2016 election, most of them by margins bigger than his lies. The P Section alone, where I lovingly live of course, came within a few votes of going Hillary, but I take responsibility for encouraging my section to fall short even on that score because the signs on my lawn still said Obama-Biden (as they will again in the 2020 election). Ten years ago the News-Journal, one of the country’s last liberal family-owned papers, was still around, but it was then bought out by Hannity-like sycophants who thankfully checked out a few years ago. But Gatehouse media is not exactly liberal. Its pages are more of an ideologically androgynous palimpsest. So I’m not sure what liberals you’re talking about who’ve overtaken your precious Palm Coast, which I first visited in 1995 and recall as even duller than Geneva at the time, unless you were into catatonic retirement and maybe a game of mahjong for your weekly aerobic quota. It’s improved considerably since. We’re still not mini New York City. Not even mini-Astoria. But either one would be great. We could use a bit more color than this monochromatic red.
JohnWaters says
I’ll take as you say “duller”, old Palm Coast any DAY. I could virtually leave my keys in my vehicle, in the driveway overnight, with no fear, of loss. Not 6 cars in the driveway, renting rooms out, with homes with sheets over the front windows, for drapes. Cannot park your car, to go for a walk, without constant fear of being broke into. Just listen to your own words, Mr Tristam all the time, constant whining, complaining liberal, who thinks he knows what best for Palm Coast, Bunnell, etc, even having derogatory names if you dont agree with their policies.
As far as the $15.00, minimum wage, another mistake, here. Forcing restaurants to raise to pay, will only cause more restaurants to close. The income here is not that of Seattle, or other big cities, in the US. Typically liberal, force business, like you know better. The business market seeks it’s own level, always has always will.
mark101 says
Here’s the deal with raising the minimum wage. You increase the wage, means an increase in the prices of goods or services.. Which also could mean, a possible layoff of an employee to support those increases. So someone will loss. Nothing is free in business management or economics. .
Ali Baba says
What a bunch of BS! This is how they have brain washed you all your life mon ami!
The truth is that, the same restaurant owners, and the owners of many other businesses cry and moan about having to make it a little easier on their fellow citizen to pay the next bill waiting on the shelve.
They are always crying poverty, and how they will never be able to pay $15 per hour, but in reality, they are really taking advantage of their own working class citizens, when their only crime is, they could never go back to get a higher education to be able to get better jobs!
Truthfully, the next thing you know, they are opening a brand new business in the next town. Oh, excuse me, I forgot, they were on the brink of bankruptcy just a year ago! for goodness sake, how they could ever pay more!
Another pill of truth to swallow is that 1/10th of 1% of the American population has more money than the rest of 90% of all of us!
What A Joke says
Vote to raise it so more people will lose jobs, service will degrade and more people will end up on welfare. All part of the bigger picture.
Sally says
I managed many restaurants and the mark up on food and liquor is quite a bit, people would be amazed. Food Servers and Bartenders make only $ 1.50 per hour and rely only on tips to survive. You can asked any one in the business that very few people top them 15 % and or 20%. So, why would the Governor DeSantis want to hold them back from making a decent amount of hourly wage? Restaurants make a substantial profit and can afford to pay them $ 15.00 and of course they would only raise the prices to the customer anyway. Why is it governors, senators, congressmen and presidents want to hold back those that vote for them into office from making a decent salary? They sure want to hear from them though when they are up for re election.
Gary R says
@Sally – Food Servers and Bartenders make only $ 1.50 per hour and rely only on tips to survive??? $1.50 per hour 15 years ago! If you are still paying them $1.50 per hour you are a cheap employer and employees will leave. Last month I asked a waitress at Bob Evans how mush she earns and said $5.00 per hour plus tips.
Waitress jobs and salary https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=Waitress&l=Palm%20Coast%2C%20FL&advn=1540103438884078&vjk=df1a2b2c4b06f04e
I agree with Traveling Rep “If an employee wants to earn more, force your superior to pay you more by working so hard/efficient that they have no choice – if they don’t, someone else will”!
Sally says
As a a food server what their hourly wage is, wake up to the facts.
Gary R says
Sally unless you have proof that food servers and bartenders are making $1.50 per hour plus tips then you are living behind times. LOL And, most of them have good benefits. Those are the facts!
LOOK! Sally
Servers & Hosts
Outback Steakhouse
Making up to $400-$600 a week for Server Positions
$5.08 an hour + Tip Share for Host Positions
We Offer:
· Medical / Dental / Prescription Card
· Meal comp privileges
· Vacation
· Flexible schedules
· Career advancement opportunities
Ali Baba says
Actually, living on TIPS is an illegal practice in any many developed countries! Restaurant owners here in the US will never be able to open a single restaurant in those countries that do really care about their citizens!
Traveling Rep says
Glad to know we have a Governor that realizes how damaging to various small businesses a mandated $15/hour wage would be. Not to mention increased pricing from these same small businesses, further degrading their ability to compete with big box stores.
If an employee wants to earn more, force your superior to pay you more by working so hard/efficient that they have no choice – if they don’t, someone else will!
wow says
Go check any study you want. Raising minimum wage is good for everyone. More money earned = more money to spend. More things bought. More dinners out. More household furnishings. Good for everyone. Mr. DeSantis is buckling under pressure from business owners who want to underpay their employees and rely on the rest of us to support those employees when they need to get financial help to buy a week’s worth of groceries.
Gary R says
@wow – Here is a study. Minimum Wage Pros and Cons. https://minimum-wage.procon.org/
I guess you forgot about the con.
Ali Baba says
How could Amazon.com corporation PAY ZERO taxes ! and yet a single mother busting her butt standing all day on her feet
making less than $10 an hour pays close to 28% in federal income taxes!
Wake up people, you are being sold FAKE goods!
Sally says
Those that have no compassion for people working two jobs to make ends meet, those that have no compassion for people making a low min. wage should be ashamed of themselves. For Governor De Santis siding with the restaurant owners over the average hard working people trying to support themselves or their families, he should be ashamed of himself too.
He will want all their votes in his next election though. Why do the Republicans constantly want to hold the working people down from getting ahead? Then they want to take away the little benefits they get, and want to tax them higher then the rich. There is something majorly wrong with this picture.