A radio advertisement currently airing across the State of Missouri is deceptively linking chambers of commerce to a push to drastically boost the state’s minimum wage.
The advertisement attempts to mislead Missouri voters into believing there is widespread support for Proposition B from Missouri business leaders. The commercial cites “the chamber of commerce’s polling.” In reality, the Missouri business community is deeply concerned about the potential impact of Proposition B.
If passed, Proposition B would raise the state’s minimum wage from $7.85 per hour to $12 per hour. This change would create a substantial new burden on businesses across the state. These costs could shutter small employers, leading to significant job losses.
“The Missouri Chamber was shocked to hear the claims being made on the radio. To be clear, we oppose Proposition B and we have no research that shows support from our state’s employer community,” said Daniel P. Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “To the contrary, our members are deeply concerned about this proposal. Passing such a sweeping minimum wage hike would make Missouri vastly uncompetitive and drive business and jobs away from Missouri.”
