Anchorage business owners offer support for ballot measure to raise minimum wage

Mark Robokoff, proprietor of AK Bark Pet Store, speaks successful support of Ballot Measure 1 connected Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Ava White/ AKPM)

A ballot measurement that would raise Alaska’s minimum costs and let workers to gain paid sick time off received support Thursday from a conjugation of business owners. Members of Alaska Business for Better Jobs deliberation nan measurement would positively effect Alaska businesses. 

If passed, Ballot Measure 1 would raise nan minimum costs from $11.73 to $13 July 1, 2025, $14 successful 2026 and $15 successful 2027. Annual costs of surviving adjustments would statesman January 2028.

Derrick Green owns Waffles and Whatnot, a edifice successful eastbound Anchorage. He has 7 employees, who are already paid much than $15 an hr and accrue sick leave. He said it’s not uncommon for accelerated nutrient restaurants to connection much than that for starting pay.

Green said offering higher salary and paid clip disconnected makes workers happy, and erstwhile workers are happy, they’re much productive. 

“Do you cognize what alienates customers astatine restaurants and different businesses? It’s erstwhile labor are perpetually worried if they tin make ends meet, and they cannot attraction connected doing nan champion that they tin do while they’re astatine work,” he said.

Alaskans voted to raise nan minimum costs successful 2014. Nearly 70% of voters supported that measure, but it didn’t see sick leave. 

Employers pinch 15 labor aliases much would person to supply nan expertise to accrue up to 56 hours of paid sick time off per year, and up to 40 hours if there’s little than 15 employees. 

Thea Agnew Bemben is nan co-owner of Agnew Beck Consulting. Her labor besides make much than $15 an hr and person sick leave. But she said working-age group are a pillar of nan state’s business system and thinks nan measurement could thief clasp them.

“When we enlistee and hire, and train group and put successful them successful our businesses, that doesn’t travel cheaply. That’s a agelong process that takes clip and effort. And erstwhile you prosecute personification and they don’t enactment very long, that really wastes each that time, effort, and money,” she said.

The Anchorage Chamber of Commerce doesn’t person a position connected nan measurement yet, according to an emailed connection from their president, Kathleen McArdle. The Alaska Chamber CEO, Kati Capozzi, told Stateline past month nan business group opposes nan ballot measure, saying it could create problems successful nan nutrient work and tourer industries.

Right now, 23 states person higher minimum wages, according to nan U.S. Department of Labor.

Ballot Measure 1 will beryllium connected nan November ballot.