Kelliher's Letter Regarding Minimum Wage, Standing with MN Servers
Dear Friends,
Yesterday, I stood with Minnesota servers and called for a long-overdue increase in the minimum wage. As your Governor, I won’t rest until we get 208,000 Minnesotans back to work, and deliver for hard-working people the wages they deserve.
That’s the difference between my Republican opponent Tom Emmer and me.
Last week, Tom Emmer told Minnesota servers they make too much money. He said there should be a tip penalty that could cut hourly wages to as low as $2.13 for Minnesota servers. Make no mistake: what my opponent has proposed is no different than stealing tips off the table.
Now Tom Emmer is saying and doing anything to dig himself out of this mess. But we know the truth. In 2005, Tom Emmer actually proposed eliminating the minimum wage. He even called it “socialism.” It was wrong then, and it’s wrong today. That’s why I’m standing up and fighting Tom Emmer.
I’m fighting for working moms like Renee Kroeten who works three jobs to support her two kids. I’m fighting for Lissi Corbett who is waiting tables to pay her way through college. You can watch Renee's and Lissi’s stories here.
But my Republican opponent Tom Emmer is fighting to cut wages, and make life even harder for working people.
Raising the minimum wage would put about $800 more after taxes into the pockets of a typical Minnesota server. But Tom Emmer’s tip penalty – even with his proposed tax-exemption on tips – could cost some Minnesota servers as much as $3,600 every year. When the average Minnesota server makes around $20,000 a year, they can’t afford to lose 20 percent of their wages.
As Governor, I will fight for hard-working people like Renee and Lissi. I won’t rest until we get 208,000 Minnesotans back to work. And I will fight to finally raise the minimum wage in Minnesota.
Join our campaign to get Minnesota back to work. Volunteer or contribute today. Together we will win this election in August, and beat Tom Emmer in November. There’s too much at stake to sit this fight out.
Sincerely,
Margaret Anderson Kelliher
DFL-endorsed candidate for Governor