Two other states sent questions to the voters about soda taxes and the voters gave one a yes and the other a no. Oregon voters rejected Measure 103 by an overwhelming margin of 57 – 43%. The proposal would have banned most new taxes on grocery items – especially soda and other sugary beverages. The…
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Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owners looking for some basic protections for their businesses may soon have legislation to rally around in a number of states across the country. Lawmakers in Pennsylvania and California, among other states, are poised to take up the fair-franchising cause as spring legislative seasons kick into gear. While the bills vary in…
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Seattle’s adoption of a $15/hour minimum wage has generated plenty of news buzz and reaction from a host of areas. As we reported last week, the International Franchise Association (IFA) filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the law under both state and federal constitutions for violating a slew of constitutional provisions. Media coverage of…
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In what was described as a boisterous meeting, a Seattle City Council committee yesterday unanimously approved a proposed ordinance creating a minimum wage within the city of Seattle of $15/hour. The proposed ordinance is scheduled to be voted on by the full Seattle City Council on Monday. Despite the recommendations of the advisory committee that…
Read More »The Vermont State Senate by a lopsided 26 – 2 vote this week passed H 112, a bill requiring the labelling of so-called GMOs (genetically modified organisms) that positions the Green Mountain state as potentially the first state in the nation to mandate the extra labeling. The bill was amended before it cleared the Senate…
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Out on the west coast, voters appear to be passing the so-called “Good Jobs Initiative“, which will mandate a local minimum wage of $15/hour for workers in the tiny city of SeaTac. SeaTac is a 12,000 voter community, the boundaries of which completely envelop Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Consequently, it hosts a large population of minimum…
Read More »We’ve apprised you over months of several states where proposals to increase the minimum wage were being considered. Our friends in the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) have produced a Government Affairs Update which identifies those states that will increase their mandated minimum between now and July, 2014. If you own shops in any…
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The 2014 federal minimum wage will remain unchanged at $7.25 per hour for non-tipped employees, and $2.13 per hour for tipped employees. However, one state’s minimum wage will increase on December 31, 2013 and eight states have announced their minimum wage will increase on January 1, 2014. Moreover, one state has proposed an increase, effective…
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We reported months ago how at its 2013 DC Summit in July, the Coalition of Franchisee Associations (CFA) had encouraged the passage of the Forty Hours Is Full Time Act proposed by Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) and others. Well, the International Franchise Association (IFA) has now joined the fray and at their annual DC Fly-in…
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Every day, franchise owners face the challenges and obstacles of owning a business, and every day, government officials are approving and vetoing legislation that affects those challenges. Independent Joe has been monitoring a number of bills, in several states, as they move through the halls of their state houses. Some of these initiatives were proverbial…
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