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Writer's pictureAIM Team

ELECTION 2018 – What business leaders should know

Election day, November 6, 2018, is tomorrow. Because of the numerous statewide ballot issues and some close races in various House and Senate districts statewide, we thought you may want some information about our position on some of these issues.

Proposition B: Minimum wage increase to $12 per hour – OPPOSED

Associated Industries of Missouri has taken a position opposing the statewide minimum wage increase, Proposition B, that would increase the minimum wage by more than 50% over 5 years to $12/hour by 2023. Our main point is that money does not grow on trees: no additional money is being given to employers to pay this higher wage, so business owners/managers must choose how to deal with higher pay per hour for minimum wage employees:

  1. Reduce number of minimum wage positions;

  2. Reduce hours of minimum wage workers;

  3. Increase prices for goods and services; or,

  4. Cut expenses elsewhere

Because we assume most businesses have priced their goods and services at the maximum level that allows them to be competitive and most businesses have cut costs to a bare minimum to maximize profitability, most businesses will have to balance the increase by reducing the number of minimum wage positions or reducing hours of minimum wage employees. Also, our members have expressed frustration that the dialog is limited to simply paying more to minimum wage employees, rather than focusing on providing training they need to be able to fill one of the many skilled positions that are open in today’s 3.2% unemployment environment. For these reasons, Associated Industries of Missouri opposes this proposition.

Proposition D: Transportation tax increase – SUPPORTED

Associated Industries of Missouri and the Missouri Transportation and Development Council has taken a position supporting an increase in the motor fuel tax that would provide more funding for transportation improvements across the state.

Proposition D would increase motor fuel taxes by 2.5 cents per year beginning in 2019 until it reaches a 10 cent increase by 2022. The money would be used to fund the Highway Patrol. Money from the Highway Trust Fund that is now used to support the patrol would be used for highway improvements. The measure will generate around $400 million per year for road improvements: $288 million for state projects and $123 million for local projects. The money would also help Missouri meet matching requirements for federal transportation funds.

Associated Industries of Missouri and the Missouri Transportation and Development Council support Proposition D.

KEY SENATE RACES:

Several key races for the Missouri House and Missouri Senate will also be decided in Tuesday’s election. Associated Industries of Missouri PAC sent surveys to some candidates in a few key races and has endorsed the following that returned completed surveys showing their support for business positions on issues:

AIMPAC endorses Senator Mike Cierpiot (R) over challenger Hillary Shields (D) in the Missouri Senate District 8 race.

AIMPAC endorses Senator Paul Wieland (R) over challengers Robert Butler (D) and Ritchie Camden (Libertarian) in the Missouri Senate District 22 race.

AIMPAC endorses Tony Luetkemeyer (R) over Martin Rucker II (D) in the Missouri Senate District 34 race.

AIMPAC endorses former State Representative Eric Burlison (R) over Jim Billedo (D) in the Missouri Senate District 20 race.

UPDATED STATE AND FEDERAL ELECTION CENTER ON OUR AIM WEBSITE:

Visit our Election Center for ratings of state legislators and federal legislators. The state ratings are based on key votes on state issues in the Missouri House and Missouri Senate. Federal scores are from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Remember that if a legislator misses a vote for any reason on a bill Associated Industries of Missouri supported, that is shown as if they had voted against our position. The reason is that we need the legislators to be there to vote for our issues. Sometimes, such absences cannot be avoided (conference committee meetings, etc.) and, for that reason, this should not be your only source of information. If you have questions about a particular legislator’s score, please contact our office and we may be able to provide more clarity.

In the hot U.S. Senate race, it is interesting that Senator Claire McCaskill has a NAM score of 18%, compared to Senator Roy Blunt’s NAM score of 91%.

GET OUT AND VOTE AND ENCOURAGE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO VOTE!

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