SC gubernatorial candidate serves up minimum wage plan at diner

Posted: Sep 19, 2014

GREENVILLE, SC
(FOX Carolina)

There’s macaroni and cheese, chicken and beans on the menu at Tommy’s Country Ham House in Greenville. However, on Thursday, diners came for the food and a taste of politics.

“I’m really not sure I’m comfortable with the way the state is going,” Gary Johnson said. “I want to secure our borders so we feel safer at home.”

Diners wanted the scoop on issues like immigration, the economy and minimum wage.

On Thursday, members with the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce said they support a federal minimum wage increase from $7.25 to $10.10.

“I think people are having a hard time taking care of a household of bills on minimum wage,” Elizabeth Shockley said.

Sheryl Johnson works at the diner and says she thinks there should be a minimum wage increase.

“I love it here, the owner treats you like family,” Johnson said.

She said even though the wage should be raised, employees should work for it.

“If you take care of the big man, he’s going to take care of the people under him,” Johnson said.

And that’s what Tom Ervin said he wants to do for small business owners if he becomes South Carolina’s next governor.

“We’d like to phase in an increase in the minimum wage, so we don’t hit businesses with it right out of the box,” Ervin said.

He said he wants to dish-out a plan over three years that would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10.

“It gives them a chance to budget and we’re going to have tax credits for small businesses, so it doesn’t impact them,” Ervin explained.

He said he’s serving up ideas to make the state better and those who came to eat and listen, have something else to chew on.

“We’re going to fix our problems once and for all,” Ervin said.

Members with the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce said they believe the $10.10 an hour will help boost the state’s economy.

Right now South Carolina doesn’t have a set minimum wage, so most employers use the federal rate of $7.25.

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