NEWYOARK: Activists cheer after the New York Wage Board endorsed a proposal to set a $15 an hour minimum wage for workers at fast food restaurants The District’s proposal to raise the hourly minimum wage to $15, which could be a 2016 ballot issue, has sparked worry among the city’s small business owners, whose support of a higher living wage for their employees is mixed with concern over its long term effects.
“I think all these public policies have great intent, but people making decisions don’t see the unintended consequences,” said Luc Brami, owner of Gelberg Signs, a 75 year-old District business.
Gelberg pays its workers more than the current minimum wage, but the proposed increase could have a ripple effect up the payscale, Brami said, spurring higher wages for all.
