Senate Picks Up Hot Potato Of Minimum Wage Increase

FOR THE RECORD: May 29, 1996 The Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce has canceled its Issues and Answers forum on Friday with political party chairman Paul Berendt and Ken Eikenberry. The event was listed in the Weekly planner on Monday’s business page.

The minimum wage debate moves to the U.S. Senate this week in what could be a nasty election-year fight.

Moderate House Republicans last week joined Democrats in raising the lowest wage employers can pay by 90 cents per hour. The proposal, which needs Senate approval and a presidential signature, would raise the rate from $4.25 an hour to $5.10 by July 1997.

Washington’s minimum wage currently is $4.90 an hour; Idaho’s, $4.25.

Proponents say that raising the minimum wage will close the gap between the lowest-paid workers and those receiving an average wage. But opponents say that the wage hike would force business owners to cut jobs.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses opposes the wage hike. But the National Association of Women Business Owners and the National Association for the Self-Employed have taken no official position because many members already pay more than minimum wage. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts has vowed to add the wage proposal to every bill that comes to the floor until it is passed.

In other events this week:

Today Memorial Day. Financial markets and government closed.

National Agricultural Statistics Service surveys farmers in Spokane and Whitman counties about the farm bill, grain supplies and prices and weather conditions.

Tuesday

Idaho state primaries.

Victor Vasquez, acting federal deputy administrator for Community Development, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, visits the lower Yakima Valley to present a $188,000 rural business enterprise grant to the Washington Association of Minority Entrepreneurs. Call 509-664-0200.

Four-day Harvard conference on the “Internet and Society” opens.

The Conference Board in New York issues its monthly survey on consumer confidence.

Wednesday

U.S. Department of Commerce releases revised first-quarter domestic product report.

Commerce Department reports single-family home sales.

Thursday

Women’s Network for Entrepreneurial Training breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Spokane Area Business Information Center, 1020 W. Riverside, for woman interested in networking via the Internet. Cost: $5. Call 353-2800 to register.

Friday

Washington Democratic state chairman Paul Berendt and state Republican chairman Ken Eikenberry speak at 7:30 a.m. at the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce’ Issues & Answers forum, 1020 W. Riverside. Call 459-4113.

Spokane Superior Court Judge Harold Clarke to hear arguments on motion to make lawsuit by Smith’s Home Furnishing customers against General Electric Capital Corp. a class action.

Last day for landowners to extend expiring Conservation Reserve Contracts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Measuring the Economy

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: On the shelf Forbes, June 3: Phil Condit faces big challenges as Boeing’s new CEO, Forbes says in a profile. Business Week, May 27: Think running Walt Disney Co. sounds like a lot of fun? Micahel S. Ovitz is finding out differently. Growing up fast Hottest small growth companies, as ranked by Business Week: 1. Remedy, Mountain View, Calif.: Makes and markets software to track data on service requests. 2. Eltron International, Chatsworth, Calif.: Makes barcode label printers. 3. Logic Works, Princeton, N.J.: Designs client/server databases. 4. APAC Teleservices, Deerfield, Ill.: An alternative to in-house customer service and sales operations.