In The News

“…local governments from Coachella to Los Angeles to San Francisco are pushing mandates that fail to recognize the progress we have made with vaccinations and lowering our daily case rates. Instead, they are supporting premium pay ordinances pushed by powerful special interests that will force store closures, job losses and a higher cost of living for everyone. It is simply counterproductive and will slow our economic recovery.”
– Rachel Michelin, president of the California Retailers Association, & Robert Rivinius, executive director of the Family Business Association of California, CalMatters, May 10, 2021

“This council is addicted to spending other people’s money. This whole subject is another example of overreach by this council, who are forever making feel-good gestures, hoping there will not be repercussions. Fundamentally, the question is: By what authority has this council the legal power to selectively impose salary changes on companies with which it does not do business? Now we are punished with higher costs for food and drugs…”
– The Editorial Board, Santa Barbara News-Press, May 9, 2021

“Here’s the real problem: local government is forcing grocers and retailers to increase their operating costs by nearly 30 percent, which could lead to store closures, devastating job losses and a higher cost of living hurting everyone in these communities.”
– Julian Canete, Southern California News Group, April 5, 2021

“From our point of view, this premium pay mandate will destroy jobs, raise the cost of living and hurt our community. Now is not the time to jeopardize economic recovery and put more families out of work. Instead, our city council representatives should be focused on quickly administering vaccinations to keep everyone safe, ensuring a rapid economic recovery and a return to normalcy.”
– Scott Miller, The Business Journal, March 26, 2021

“Hero pay is government picking winners and losers and deciding who is more important than the other. Why is the grocery store worker’s pay raise more important than the money the teacher (or policeman or medical technician) is going to have to withdraw from his salary to pay for his larger grocery bill? More people end up employed in happier circumstances when government stays the heck away from determining wages.”
– Alyssa Erdley, Culver City Observer, March 25, 2021

“And here’s some advice to council members — often virtue signaling is harmless, like when you ban plastic straws. It just makes the city look ridiculous. However, when you virtue signal using other people’s money, the consequences can be lost jobs and boarded up businesses.”
– Dave Price, Palo Alto Daily Post, March 22, 2021

“Even if federal courts ultimately uphold the measures, local laws that increase a retailer’s cost of operation result in higher prices, and that hurts the consumers who need the essential goods these stores provide. Families who are in the worst financial straits will be the most injured by the increase in prices and the loss of neighborhood stores.”
– The Editorial Board, Southern California News Group, March 19, 2021

“As research has shown, food insecurity — where residents struggle to find access to affordable fresh foods and grocery stores — are much more common in minority neighborhoods. Again, Latino communities would bear the brunt of the unintended impact of these ordinances and could lose their neighborhood grocery stores and access to affordable, healthy food.”
– Jesse Gonzalez, Fresno Bee, March 2, 2021

“Not many industries can endure a government-imposed labor increase of as much as 33%. A study commissioned by the California Grocers Association (CGA) found that Los Angeles’ $5- an-hour proposal “would be twice the size of the 2020 industry profit margin and three times historical grocery profit margins.” Grocers can’t stay in business if they’re losing money.”
– The Editorial Board, Southern California News Group, February 13, 2021

“The pay mandates could increase their payroll by upward of 30%, and many can’t raise prices to cover the cost—especially in low-income neighborhoods. Supermarket chain Kroger on Monday announced it is closing two stores in Long Beach because of the pay mandate.”
– The Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2021

“Why does it make sense for the government to single out one sector for special treatment? …Nor has there been any meaningful attempt to consider the impacts of requiring employers to boost pay by as much as 30%. Will grocery stores pass the cost on to shoppers? Will they lay off workers?”
– The Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times, January 19, 2021

“Perhaps some grocers can sustain such a cost increase temporarily, but many cannot. Inevitably, grocers will adjust by raising prices to help defray the costs. Of course, increasing food costs will transfer some or all of the hero pay costs from the grocer to the broader community. Many leading voices contend that raising food costs at a time when food insecurity is on the rise is not the right policy.”
– By Wayne Winegarden, Forbes, January 15, 2021