Richmond Times-Dispatch Slams Perriello & Northam For Supporting Out-Of-Touch Policies

As Democrat gubernatorial candidates Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello continue their race to the left by pushing out-of-touch economic policies, their alarming failure to understand Virginia’s economy is becoming clearer. Today, one of Virginia’s largest newspapers, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, published a scathing editorial slamming both Democrats for pushing drastic minimum wage changes that could have profoundly negative consequences for Virginia businesses:

“…Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello both want Virginia to impose a $15 minimum wage. This is fine politics and terrible policy. They could do more good by supporting a simpler, more efficient reform. But that would not serve their ambitions nearly so well.

The state’s current minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, so jacking it up to $15 would more than double the cost of low-end labor. What’s more, it ignores regional variations. The average weekly wage in Arlington is $1,734. In Amelia, it’s $642. A nail salon in Arlington might be able to swallow a $15 wage. Not so the salon in Amelia.

And what is true of localities within Virginia also holds true for employers within a locality. A four-star restaurant probably can afford to pay its chef more than a barbecue joint can pay its cook.”

In their efforts to attract liberal primary voters through irresponsible, one-size-fits all ideas, Northam and Perriello fail to grasp the impact their proposals could have on different communities across Virginia. As Ralph Northam and Tom Perriello continue to push left-wing policies to bolster primary support, they continue to show working Virginians how hopelessly out-of-touch they are with the Commonwealth’s challenges.