In an effort to support both New Jersey’s deserving workers and mom and pop small-business owners, I am working to introduce legislation to raise the minimum wage to $12 over three years followed by a state study to determine its impact on small business owners.

The bill would set an initial minimum wage increase to $10.10 as of 2019. The bill would then increase the minimum wage as much as $1.25 in both 2020 and 2021, culminating in a $12 minimum wage. The bill also provides for a number of exemptions designed to support local and seasonal businesses and requires annual economic studies to be conducted to evaluate the impact of the minimum wage increase over a five year period.

New Jersey’s workers deserve a reasonable wage. Transitioning to a $12 minimum wage is a strong start. Should we see the economy improving after reaching a $12 minimum wage, we will then have ample evidence to support increasing the minimum wage further. Gradual, measured steps are key to implementing this shift successfully.

However, we must also consider the constraints on small and seasonal businesses who often rely on minimum wage workers. Our local mom and pop shops will not be able to afford the short-term $15 minimum wage that some of my colleagues are pushing for. While I certainly support New Jersey’s workers, as a small business owner myself I understand the demands and limitations of running a small business. That is why I have fought for exemptions that will allow workers to earn a better wage without putting small businesses out of business, which would ultimately provide a blow to our economy and contribute to the unemployment rate.

Please join me in my fight for a $12 minimum wage by signing the petition below. Thank you for your support.