Small business owner voices opinion about proposed minimum wage hike
By: Chelsea Rarrick
Updated: February 5, 2013
75 years in business is a milestone anyone would be proud of.
"We're in our third generation now and only about 12 percent of businesses in the U.S. make it to the third generation," said Bob Waskiewicz, co-owner of Chester's Flower shop and Greenhouse in Utica.
He says it's a great feeling to carry on the family business for so many years.
But, operating a small business isn't always easy.
"It's already expensive to do business in New York State, we have the highest gas, and utility prices," he said.
Along with those expenses, Bill and his business could also be dealing with a minimum wage increase for New York State.
Gov. Cuomo is proposing to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75 an hour.
That hike is a concern for Bill and other small business owners.
"It will affect our business by keeping our amount of people that work here to a minimum so we can pay our bills," said Waskiewicz.
Bill says if the increase were to go through, they'd have to make sure there's no extra house or overtime pay.
Although he has his concerns, some say the hike is a good thing.
"We're pretty economically depressed, we have been for awhile," said Remsen resident, Jeannette Williams. "I don't think you can live on minimum wage. I think folks take minimum wage jobs as second jobs sometimes and it would really help our economy and it would help families, especially young families to have a better life."
"We're in our third generation now and only about 12 percent of businesses in the U.S. make it to the third generation," said Bob Waskiewicz, co-owner of Chester's Flower shop and Greenhouse in Utica.
He says it's a great feeling to carry on the family business for so many years.
But, operating a small business isn't always easy.
"It's already expensive to do business in New York State, we have the highest gas, and utility prices," he said.
Along with those expenses, Bill and his business could also be dealing with a minimum wage increase for New York State.
Gov. Cuomo is proposing to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75 an hour.
That hike is a concern for Bill and other small business owners.
"It will affect our business by keeping our amount of people that work here to a minimum so we can pay our bills," said Waskiewicz.
Bill says if the increase were to go through, they'd have to make sure there's no extra house or overtime pay.
Although he has his concerns, some say the hike is a good thing.
"We're pretty economically depressed, we have been for awhile," said Remsen resident, Jeannette Williams. "I don't think you can live on minimum wage. I think folks take minimum wage jobs as second jobs sometimes and it would really help our economy and it would help families, especially young families to have a better life."
