Save Florida Jobs Highlights “Negative Impact” of Amendment 2

By Jordan Kirkland, The Capitolist

With less than three weeks until the election, the battle to stop Ballot Amendment 2 continued on Tuesday, with a new ad pointing to the dangers of a $15 minimum wage being released by Save Florida Jobs.

The 18-second ad released by the political committee cuts straight to the ballot language attached to the initiative, urging voters to read the fine print of the November amendment.

“State and local government costs will increase to comply with the new minimum wage levels. Additional annual wage costs will be approximately $16 million in 2022, increasing to about $540 million in 2027 and thereafter. Government actions to mitigate these costs are unlikely to produce material savings,” the ballot reads

“This proposed constitutional amendment is estimated to have a net negative impact on the state budget. This impact may result in higher taxes or a loss of government services.”

The video also highlights specific language on the ballot that states: “This proposed constitutional amendment is estimated to have a net negative impact on the state budget. This impact may result in higher taxes or a loss of government services.”

Ballot Amendment 2 is a proposed amendment to the Florida constitution that would mandate Florida businesses pay a minimum wage of $15 an hour by 2026. The initiative was spearheaded by TV trial lawyer John Morgan and will be up for a vote this November.

Morgan says he considers a wage boost a “moral, ethical and religious issue” rather than a political one, while proponents of the referendum argue that raising the pay floor would provide Floridians with a living wage that will lift many out of poverty.

Similar proposals have been adopted in cities across the United States, including Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

The new spot comes as legislators and associations across the Sunshine State unite to fight back against the wage increase.

Last month, State Representative Tommy Gregory formed a political committee to oppose and educate voters on the amendment. On Monday, Sen. Joe Gruters, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and Florida House Speaker-designate Chris Sprowls announced their opposition to Ballot Amendment 2.