Senator Megan Hunt has a history of advocating unconstitutional proposals in the Nebraska Legislature. Last week, she targeted small businesses with her extreme rhetoric. Hunt, speaking on March 14, said, “I would say that if restaurants do go out of business because they aren’t able to afford to pay their employees the minimum wage, then maybe they shouldn’t be in business.”
RESTAURANTS OPERATE ON SOME OF THE THINNEST PROFIT MARGINS OF ANY SECTOR AND REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF SMALL BUSINESS ACTIVITY. IT’S BAD ENOUGH THAT SHE HAS NO PROBLEM FORCING SMALL BUSINESSES TO CLOSE AND ELIMINATING A GREAT FIRST JOB OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY NEBRASKANS. WHAT’S WORSE? NOT ONE WEEK LATER, HUNT TOOK TO THE FLOOR TO ASK YOU, THE TAXPAYERS, TO UNDERWRITE A SERVICE SHE CAN’T PROVIDE FOR HER EMPLOYEES BECAUSE IT’S…TOO EXPENSIVE! “I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS, I’VE BEEN SELF-EMPLOYED FOR YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, IT STARTED AS A VERY SMALL BUSINESS AND I GREW MY COMPANY TO A STAFF OF 12,” SHE SAID.
“There is no way that my business could shoulder the cost of letting people have paid time off – and it’s not because we don’t care about our employees – it’s not because I don’t want them to be able to have time off,” she said. Is it possible that restaurant owners have the same perspective about wages? “My business doesn’t have the ability to do that, and the cheapest way for us to provide this for our employees and for ourselves as owners – me and my partners – would be a pay a little bit into a pool with every check.” Not seven days after declaring hardworking restaurant owners who can’t pay what she believes their employees are entitled to deserve to go out of business, Senator Hunt is arguing on the floor of the Legislature for a bill that would enhance her business’ ability to provide benefits to her employees at your expense. Nebraskans, take note: The evidence suggests Senator Hunt is only interested in defending small business when it impacts her own bottom line.
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