Kim Githler

Chair and CEO, MoneyShow

“It would kill this economy. People are already losing their jobs because [small] businesses are having a harder time making a profit. People can live on minimum wage. I worked at Neiman Marcus and a restaurant in order to live a lifestyle that I wanted to live. I paid off my first car at the age of 15 on minimum wage. It gets back to the economics of our government. We are printing money at a very fast clip. Our currency is purchasing fewer goods. The responsibility to fix the economy should not be leveled on businesses to pay more.”

Ed Chiles

CEO, The Chiles Group (Sandbar Restaurant, Beach House Restaurant, Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant and Pub)

“It would be a huge issue for our industry. Currently, you’ve got waiters making $5-$6 an hour plus tips with the tip tax credit. Our servers are making about $30 an hour. If the state took our labor budget and upped it by 150 percent that would be a big burden. How much would that mean an average plate has to go up? Are people willing to spend more? We’ve got to provide a living wage, but we have to do it in steps, and Florida has been doing that. We’re trying to move [our industry] towards no tips.”

Marcus Anast

Co-owner, The Sarasota Collection Home Store

“We pay way above minimum wage and we always will. My thinking is: I don’t want a human being in my world to be resentful. I don’t want them to think they could be making more money elsewhere. I don’t want them to think that it’s a job. I want people to be there for me and my business because I was there for them from the get-go.  If the environment is relaxed and happy and workers are not treated like drones and people are paid accordingly, business is good.”