Комуністи - демократи -
Support
Florida For A Fair Wage is leading the campaign in support of the initiative. John Morgan is chairperson of the campaign.[1]
Supporters
Political Parties
Miami Dade Democratic Party
Individuals
John Morgan - Florida For A Fair Wage chair
Organizations
Democracy for America
Florida AFL-CIO
League of Women Voters of Florida
Organize Florida
Arguments
Florida For a Fair Wage: "Florida needs to pass the Fair Wage Amendment to ensure that all hard-working Floridians can receive a living wage. The 'living wage' is the minimum cost that covers the basic needs of an individual and the needs of their family without government assistance. Florida’s minimum wage of $8.46 – or $17,600 per year – for a full-time employee is not a livable wage for many of the 200,000 hard-working Floridians that earn it, especially those working to support a family."
John Morgan: "Years ago in the south they said the economy will not work if we don’t have slaves. They were so adamant about it they went to war over it. They fought each other to own people. What’s going on in America today is we’re paying people slave wages and I’m ready to go to war for that." Morgan also said a higher wage is good for businesses because it increases individuals' spending power and that a higher wage would result in less dependence on public assistance.
League of Women Voters of Florida: "The League supports secure equal rights and equal opportunity for all, and promotes social and economic justice for all Americans. Florida’s present minimum wage yields $17,800 a year for a full-time worker, which doesn’t come close to a living wage for a family of four."
Капіталісти - Республіканці.
Opponents
Political Parties
Miami Dade Republican Party
Organizations
Americans for Tax Reform
Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
Arguments
Carol Dover, the CEO and president of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association: "The proposed ballot initiative to raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour has a lot of feel-good appeal, but behind all the warm and fuzzies lie a plethora of unintended consequences. An increase like this would have disastrous impacts on businesses and individuals alike. Business owners will be forced to find solutions to control costs, and these solutions will have a direct impact on our state’s 1.4 million hospitality workers. The most obvious solutions include reducing the number of employees, reducing the number of hours remaining employees work and seeking labor alternatives like automation."
Daniel Samess, CEO of the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce: "A lot of consumers may not understand the impact that this will have on their pockets and the industry. This is a trickle-down effect that starts with the business owner, then the employees and it gets passed on to the consumer."
Amendment 2 Hurts You: "If we force local businesses to raise wages to $15 per hour, they will be forced to cut jobs, slash benefits, and reduce hours for the remaining workers. Amendment 2 results in less opportunity for young workers just getting their start or immigrant workers trying to build a new life here in Florida. Worse, Amendment 2 will cause prices to rise sharply, driving up the cost of living for middle-class families who already earn over $15 an hour and seniors on a fixed income. Finally, Amendment 2 is a bad solution for a big state like Florida."
Media editorials
See also: 2020 ballot measure media endorsements
Support
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board: "Florida’s present minimum wage yields $17,800 a year for a full-time worker, which doesn’t come close to a living wage for a family of four. ... The heart of the issue, it seems to us, is less about economics than morality. It simply isn’t right that some people earn less than they need to live no matter how hard they work. Bear in mind that it’s often the lowest-paid people who are deemed essential in the face of the coronavirus."
Miami Herald Editorial Board: "The people who change diapers in daycare centers and nursing homes; wash dishes at five-star resorts; and stock shelves at grocery stores already know what life is like on the poverty wages that so many Florida jobs pay. ... Amendment 2 would bring the minimum wage up to $15 by 2026. Vote YES on Amendment 2."
Opposition
Naples Daily News Editorial Board: "Businesses, especially restaurants, operate on thin margins. Raising the cost of operating might not just cause some to hire fewer people. It can be expected to drive some out of business completely. ... Let’s get as many Floridians back to work as soon as possible and support a robust economic recovery that will allow workers to command higher wages under market conditions."
Herald-Tribune Editorial Board: "Income disparity, particularly in Florida's punishing housing market, is a social inequity that falls disproportionately on children and thus threatens our future. [...] The idea is that this entry-level wage 'floor' would, in rising, lift the earnings of other workers as well, and when the effort to sponsor this amendment got underway it looked like an enlightened, reasonable endeavor in a thriving economy. But the COVID-19 pandemic has changed that math. We recommend voting no."
Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board: "Raising the base wage by so much so quickly will increase costs for businesses. In turn, prices will rise, shifting some burden onto regular Floridians. The ones struggling to make ends meet — even with a $15 minimum wage — will feel more of the pinch. So will unskilled workers who lose their jobs when businesses cut expenses to make up for the higher cost of wages. ... On Amendment 2, the Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board recommends voting No."
