ANOTHER FAILED PREDICTION

The wingnuts predicted that the increase in minimum wage would hurt Arizona but so far, not so much.

Industries may feel sting, but state wage increase hasn't hurt Ariz. economy
Ronald J. Hansen
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 11, 2007 12:00 AM

Some of the predictions were dire: Arizona's proposed minimum-wage law would cost businesses tens of millions, and thousands of workers - especially the ones who needed their jobs the most - would be laid off.

But a year after voters overwhelmingly approved boosting pay for the state's least-expensive workers from $5.15 an hour to $6.75, the immediate effect has seemed, well, minimal.

Estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show the state's leisure and hospitality industry, which figured to be hardest hit, added 12,000 jobs statewide in the first nine months of the year. That is in line with annual job growth for those businesses in recent years, the numbers show.

Get a load of this greedy prick:

"Our overall payroll is about 15 percent higher in 2007 than it was a year ago," said Charlie Harmon, who owns 51 Arby's restaurants. "It's affected me personally in the pocketbook."