Minimum wage increase will impact small businesses

Small business owners say they are going to take a big financial hit this year, due to the minimum wage increase.

MINIMUM WAGE.9 ON YOUR SIDE'S LUZDELIACABALLERO SPOKE TO A PROUD OWNEROF SEVERAL MOM-AND-POPS ANDSHARES HOW THIS CHANGE WILLAFFECT HIS BUSINESSES.TONY TERRY IS THE PROUD OWNER OFTHE GASLIGHT THEATER ANDLITTLE ANTHONY'S--AMONG OTHERBUSINESSES.

AND WHILE HE SAYSHIS EMPLOYEES DESERVE THE EXTRAPAY, HE IS GOING TO TAKE A BIGFINANCIAL HIT WITH THE NEWCHANGE.I STARTED THE GASLIGHT THEATER42 YEARS AGO.

NATSAND IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HEOPENED UP LITTLE ANTHONY'S---A50STHEMED DINER--NATSGRANDMA TONY'S PIZZA--WHICH HASTHREE LOCATIONS, AND.WE JUST OPENED UP THE GASLIGHTMUSICAL IN ORO VALLEY AND THAT'SIN OUR FOURTH YEAR RIGHT NOW.NATSSEVERAL INDEPENDENT BUSINESSESTHAT NEED SOME SERIOUS MANPOWERTO STAY OPEN.I HAVE ABOUT 220 EMPLOYEES THATRELY ON ME FOR THEIR FAMILY'SLIVELIHOOD.TERRY SAYS THE NEW MINIMUM WAGEINCREASE FROM 11 TO 12 DOLLARSISGOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANTIMPACT ON HIS BUSINESSES.THE NET EFFECT TO ME IS ABOUT$100,000 A YEAR.

I'VE GOT TOSELL ABOUT $300,000 MORE TO NETTHAT.

SO I HAVE TO INCREASE MYSALES BETWEEN THE SICK LEAVE ANDTHE MINIMUM WAGE BY ABOUT$600,000 AYEAR.HE SAYS IN ORDER TO STAY INBUSINESS, THERE'LL HAVE TO BESOMECHANGES.I HAVE TO DO IT WITH FEWERPEOPLE AND I HAVE TO HAVE MOREOUT OF EACHEMPLOYEE THAT WORKS FOR ME, ANDUNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE TO RAISEOURPRICES.

IT'S DIFFICULT.

ITHURTS.

AND EVEN THOUGH TERRY'SMADE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS,HE HASNO BOUT THE NEW YEAR WILLCONTINUE BRINGING HIM AND HISWORKING FAMILY EVERY BIT OFSUCCESS.OF COURSE WE ARE GOING TOOVERCOME IT.

WE ARE GOING TOCOME TO WORK EVERY DAY AND I'MGOING TO HAVE A GREAT PLACE TOWORK FOR MY 220 EMPLOYEES, ANDTHEY ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THEIRFAMILIES ANDI'M GOING TO SUPPORT MY FAMILYAND THAT'S GOING TO BE THEFUTURE.AND WHILE TERRY DOES NOT AGREEWITH THE GOVERNMENT'SDECISION TO INCREASE THE MINIMUMWAGE, HE FEELS HIS EMPLOYEES,ESPECIALLY THE ONES WHO HAVEBEEN WITH HIM FOROVER 15/20 YEARS DESERVE IT.LUZDELIA CABALLERO KGUN9ON YOUR SIDE.THE PIMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S