-
How San Francisco Is Killing Its Restaurants
October 2019 · Michael Saltsman · Wall Street Journal
Labor costs and regulation are ruining a once-thriving industry. Congress should take it as a cautionary tale. San Francisco was once known for trendy restaurants with lines out the door. Today, the city’s restaurateurs are concerned with keeping their doors open at all. Restaurant closings outpace openings by 9%, according to Yelp data analyzed by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association. In a recent meeting with the Board of Supervisors,… -
Does ‘no tipping’ have future in Michigan?
October 2019 · Michael Saltsman · The Detroit News
Have Michigan restaurants hit a tipping point on the practice of tipping? Detroit restaurant Magnet opened late last month with a novel “no tipping” policy, where menu prices are higher and staff receive a salary instead of tip income. The following week, Birmingham Italian restaurant La Strada announced it would implement a similar policy. State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, praised both restaurants, writing on her Facebook page… -
Is a $15 minimum wage bad for California’s environment?
August 2019 · Michael Saltsman · The Orange County Register
The Golden State has long prided itself on being a global leader in protecting employees and the environment, but new evidence suggests the state’s “progress” on the employment side is hurting its environmental goals. California’s minimum wage is rising rapidly toward $15, and the wage floor has already surpassed that level in a number of cities. The consequences for small businesses with narrow margins (and the people… -
Blue Dog Democrats Run Away From $15 Wage Fight
July 2019 · Michael Saltsman · Morning Consult
House ”Blue Dog” Democrats position themselves as a voice of reason, promising “commonsense” alternatives to the party’s more progressive members. But if Blue Dogs cave in and support a $15 federal minimum wage that will eliminate up to 3.7 million jobs, it suggests the coalition’s promise is more rhetoric than reality. After Democrats re-took control of the House in 2018, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said a $15 minimum wage was… -
How Many Jobs Would the $15 Minimum Wage Kill?
July 2019 · Michael Saltsman · Wall Street Journal
This is one political promise it’s OK to break. Democrats pledged a $15-an-hour minimum wage while campaigning in 2018, and all but three of the party’s 2020 presidential candidates endorse the increase. But a new report from the Congressional Budget Office finds the policy could leave nearly four million workers without a job. This week’s analysis is an update of CBO’s 2014 analysis of a $10.10 minimum wage, which… -
Why teen summer jobs are far and few between
May 2019 · Samantha Summers · The OC Register
A summer job has become a rite of passage for American teenagers. From scooping ice cream to lifeguarding at the community pool, summer jobs have allowed teens to earn some extra cash before heading back to school in the fall. But over the past few decades, the rate of teenagers looking for summer jobs has fallen significantly. One contributing factor to the decline: Rising state and local…