**PRESS RELEASE**

SEN. GRUTERS, REP. SPROWLS ANNOUNCE OPPOSITION TO BALLOT AMENDMENT 2

Dozens of Florida Elected Officials Urge Floridians to Vote No on $15 Mandatory Minimum Wage

Tallahassee, FL — Florida Sen. Joe Gruters, Chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and Florida House Speaker-designate Chris Sprowls today announced their opposition to Ballot Amendment 2, a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot this General Election that mandates a $15 an hour minimum wage. This will force many small businesses across Florida to cut workers hours, lay off employees or close completely.

“Ballot Amendment 2 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” Sen. Gruters said. “It will destroy hundreds of small businesses across Florida and kill the jobs they provide to Florida families. Ballot [Amendment 2] puts more than 2 million workers right here in Florida at risk. They could lose hours, they could lose benefits, they could lose their jobs entirely.”

Coming on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ballot Amendment 2 will crush small and family-owned businesses in Florida.

“This idea has failed time and again in cities and states across the country. Government-mandated wages force businesses to reduce the number of employees or limit raises for other employees. Paying some people more inevitably means paying other people less or nothing at all,” Speaker-designate Sprowls said. “The impact will be much worse in Florida — it doesn’t make sense for the minimum wage in Mariana to be the same as the minimum wage in Miami. Proponents of Ballot Amendment 2 claim they are on the side of the people, but they hide the fact that their amendment will cost jobs. That’s not the kind of help that Florida’s workers need or deserve.”

Sen. Gruters and Speaker-designate Sprowls are joined by dozens of other members of the Florida Legislature who are urging Florida voters to oppose Ballot Amendment 2.

For a full list of elected officials urging voters to vote NO on Ballot Amendment 2, visit https://www.amendment2hurtsyou.com/coalition.

Recent reports demonstrate the catastrophic consequences of Ballot Amendment 2 on Florida jobs and businesses:

• An economic impact study revealed Florida has already lost 336,000 jobs due to COVID-19, and Ballot Amendment 2 will kill another 158,000 jobs.
• The National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit that advocates for taxpayer interests at all levels of government, warned the amendment will devastate family-owned small businesses.
• A Florida TaxWatch economic impact report said that businesses will pay an additional $7.3 billion a year to employ the same number of workers today at a $15 minimum wage.

“Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate our restaurant and hospitality industries, which are already suffering from COVID-19 losses,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Our small and family-owned businesses will not be strong enough to survive this wage hike, putting many of them out of business and their employees out of work. Stand with Florida employees by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2.”

Amendment 2 Hurts You is a campaign to raise awareness for the consequences of Ballot Amendment 2 on small businesses, workers and the economy.

Learn more about how Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate Florida:

• Online at Amendment2HurtsYou.Com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram

Help save Florida jobs by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2 this November.

###

Paid Political Advertisement by Save Florida Jobs Inc.
230 South Adams St., Ste 200
Tallahassee, FL 32301

~Restaurants and Hotels Permitted to Operate at 100% Capacity. Local municipalities must allow at least 50% operational capacity~

 TALLAHASSEE – Today, at The Birchwood hotel in St. Petersburg, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the state will move to Phase 3 of his “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step. Plan” for Re-Opening Florida, including allowing restaurants to operate at full capacity, effective immediately.

There will no longer be operational limitations enforced by the State of Florida. He further explained that his Executive Order, coming out later today, will prohibit local municipalities from restricting the re-opening of businesses. They must be allowed to operate at least at 50% capacity, regardless of local rule.

Governor DeSantis highlighted that the restaurant industry is difficult to succeed in with thin margins, and there have been devastating effects from COVID-19 shutdowns on operators and their employees since March.

“We are saying in the state of Florida everybody has an opportunity and the right to work,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Every business has the right operate.”

“Florida’s hospitality industry has been decimated by COVID-19,” said Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA). “This has been a crisis like we have never seen before. Businesses have closed, and more than 336,000 people have lost work in our industry. The effects on the local and state economy have been significant. I want to thank Governor DeSantis and DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears for their support as we have navigated this unprecedented time and for allowing us the opportunity to get back to work. We look forward to welcoming back our wonderful guests and to re-opening the Sunshine State.”

“I would like to commend Governor DeSantis for his leadership,” said JT Corrales, Director of Business Development for Crabby Bills. “Today is a big step for us in the restaurant industry in the road to recovery. I think this gives us a real fighting chance.”

At the announcement, Governor DeSantis was joined by the following Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) members:

• Dannette Lynch, FRLA Regional Director and Director of Membership
• Heather Dawkins, The Canopy at the Birchwood, FRLA Pinellas Chapter
• Mary Beth Hansen, Paradise Grill, FRLA Suncoast Chapter
• JT Corrales, Crabby Bills, FRLA Pinellas Chapter
• Eric Potts, Bella’s Italian, FRLA Hillsborough Chapter

Read Executive Order 20-244 Here.

###

TALLAHASSEE – Since July, Northeast Florida hospitality establishments achieved the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) Seal of Commitment, demonstrating their dedication to enhanced safety and sanitation practices. The FRLA Seal of Commitment is a promise to guests that their safety is a priority and is designed to improve confidence to return to hotels and restaurants in a post COVID-19 environment. It is a symbol that a restaurant or hotel meets safety and sanitation standards as designated by FRLA and that staff are well-trained.

Since the launch of the program, nearly 100 establishments have achieved the Seal, with dozens more in progress, representing the statewide commitment of the hospitality industry to the health and safety of employees and guests. Awarded establishments have invested considerable resources to confirm that the safety and health of the staff, guests, and establishment are prioritized.

Of the first group of Seal of Commitment Designees, the following achievers are in Northeast Florida:

• Seaside Amelia Inn, Amelia Island
• Don Juan’s Restaurant, Jacksonville
• House of Leaf & Bean, Jacksonville
• One Ocean Resort & Spa, Atlantic Beach
• Columbia Restaurant, St. Augustine
• Victorian House Bed & Breakfast, St. Augustine
• Sawgrass Marriott, Ponte Vedra
• Kenwood Inn, St. Augustine

“The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and RCS have been the industry leader and go-to resource for safety and sanitation training for quite some time now,” said Olivia Hoblit, Regional Manager, Seaside Amelia Inn, Innisfree Hotels and first hotel Seal of Commitment achiever. “I am extremely pleased to see this additional program established. The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority. Receiving the Seal from FRLA gives our guests confidence that our business is sanitary, safe, and the staff is well trained. It plays a major role in our business and builds trust with our guests.”

“We are very proud to be the first B&B in the state of Florida to receive the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Seal of Commitment,” said Pat Dobosz, owner of the Kenwood Inn in St. Augustine. “We want our guests to know our attention to detail will keep them safe and comfortable during their stay with us. We are very appreciative of FRLA providing the additional training to support our efforts and to assure our success. It is very comforting to know our staff is properly prepared to take care of our guests.”

“We take our customers’ safety and health seriously” said Wen Raiti, President of House of Leaf & Bean. “Receiving the Seal of Commitment from FRLA shows our commitment and dedication to make sure that House of Leaf & Bean is a safe place for our customers to dine or visit and for our staff to work!”

“We understand that people are thinking differently about travel right now and we are too” said Todd Hickey, General Manager of Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa.  “We have elevated our cleaning standards and are dedicated to providing our teams with the tools, training, and resources necessary to adapt to unique challenges presented by the current environment. Earning the FRLA Seal of Commitment assures our guests and associates that their health and safety continue to be at the heart of our approach to hospitality.”

At One Ocean Resort & Spa, we have a firm commitment to place the extra attention to our already carefully cleaned guest rooms, public areas, food & beverage outlets, fitness center and spa” said David Mariotti, General Manager of One Ocean Resort. “We are proud to have earned the FRLA Seal of Commitment which reinforces hospitality industry best practices that will build consumer confidence.”

Awarded establishments have completed rigorous safety and sanitation training. In a post COVID-19 atmosphere, when guests see an FRLA Seal of Commitment sticker on an establishment’s door, they can be confident that the business is committed to sanitation excellence and protecting employees and guests.

Visit https://frla.org/sealofcommitment/ to learn how to achieve the FRLA Seal of Commitment.

###

**PRESS RELEASE**

FLORIDA FARMS, RETAILERS, HOMEBUILDERS AND CONVENIENCE STORES, AMONG OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES, URGE VOTERS TO OPPOSE BALLOT AMENDMENT 2

Tallahassee, FL — Organizations representing small businesses across Florida, including builders, gas stations and convenience stores, farms and retail stores, join Florida’s restaurants and hotels in urging voters to oppose Ballot Amendment 2, a constitutional mandate that would raise Florida’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.

“As the General Election nears, businesses across all industries are growing increasingly concerned about the devastating consequences Ballot Amendment 2 will have on jobs across the state,” said Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “From farms to retail stores, this policy experiment will impact all types of small businesses and the jobs they provide for Florida families.”

Joining the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association in opposition to Ballot Amendment 2 is:

• Associated Industries of Florida
• Florida Chamber of Commerce
• Florida Home Builders Association
• Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, Inc.
• Florida Farm Bureau
• Floridia Retail Federation
• National Federation of Independent Business

“The Florida Home Builders Association stands with small businesses in opposition to Amendment 2,” said Rusty Payton, executive director of the FHBA. “As we begin to rebound from a worldwide pandemic and high unemployment, putting more strain on already depleted payrolls is not the solution for an economic recovery. Further, for every $1,000 increase in the median new home price, 10,274 Florida Households are priced out of the marketplace. Now is not the time to increase costs, VOTE NO ON 2.”

These business leaders are the latest to voice opposition to Ballot Amendment 2 among a growing list of businesses, workers and leaders across Florida. The devastation of Ballot Amendment 2 will be far-reaching for the state of Florida, destroying the road to recovery from COVID-19 for small businesses and workers. If passed, Florida would be the first state in the nation to incorporate an exponential increase in the minimum wage in its state constitution.

Earlier this month, the campaign released an economic impact study report, revealing the true devastation Ballot Amendment 2 would place on Florida.

• COVID-19 has already destroyed 336,000 direct and hotel-supported jobs and led to hundreds of thousands of job losses and billions in sales.
• By 2026, 158,000 jobs will be lost because of a $15 minimum wage.
• If Florida passes Ballot Amendment 2, the report, based on data from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), shows that the hardest-hit workers include tipped workers, women and teenagers, although all age groups, including seniors over the age of 65, will be negatively impacted.

To read the full report, click here.

Amendment 2 Hurts You is a campaign to raise awareness for the consequences of Ballot Amendment 2 on small businesses, workers and the economy.

Learn more about how Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate Florida:

• Online at com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram

Help save Florida jobs by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2 this November.

###

Paid Political Advertisement by Save Florida Jobs Inc.
230 South Adams St., Ste 200
Tallahassee, FL 32301

Tallahassee, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program to support small businesses impacted by Hurricane Sally. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) administers the Emergency Bridge Loan program that provides short-term, zero-interest loans to small businesses that experienced physical damage or economic injury during Hurricane Sally. The application period opened today and runs through November 14, 2020, or until the available funds are expended.

“The intense wind, rain and flooding from Hurricane Sally has led to extensive damage in Northwest Florida,” said Governor DeSantis. “We are working diligently to help these communities recover and I encourage affected small business owners to apply for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan to assist them with necessary funding to rebuild.”

DEO administers the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan program in partnership with the Florida Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation to provide cash flow to businesses damaged by a disaster. The short-term, zero-interest loans help bridge the gap between the time damage is incurred and when long-term funding is secured, including Small Business Administration or commercially available loans, insurance claims or other resources. Up to $5 million has been allocated for the program.

“We want to do all we can to help the families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Sally recover quickly and be resilient for the future,” said Dane Eagle, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. “Hurricane Sally has brought destructive coastal area flooding to Northwest Florida, and DEO will continue to work with these businesses and communities during the recovery process.”

“Getting employees back to work and providing businesses the support they need is integral to helping communities recover after a disaster,” said Dr. Cheryl Kirby, Chief Operating Officer for the Florida SBDC Network. “Small businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy and we want them to know we are here to help them through the recovery process.”

“We are ready to assist the Governor and state of Florida to deliver this vital assistance to the small business community we serve, as we have 24 times since 1992,” said Florida First Capital Finance Corporation President and CEO, Todd Kocourek.

Small business owners with two to 100 employees located in Escambia, Okaloosa and Santa Rosa counties affected by Hurricane Sally can apply for short-term loans up to $50,000, or in special cases $100,000, if warranted by the needs of the business.

DEO is currently surveying businesses in the affected counties through the Florida Business Damage Assessment Survey. To access the survey, please visit www.FloridaDisaster.biz and select “Hurricane Sally” from the dropdown menu. Response to the damage assessment is not an application for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan.

To apply or to learn more about the eligibility requirements for the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan, visit www.FloridaJobs.org/EBL.

For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan program, contact DEO at 833-832-4494 or email [email protected].

###

**IN CASE YOU MISSED IT**

CHARLOTTE SUN: BALLOT AMENDMENT 2 “COULD HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE STATE’S ECONOMY”

Tallahassee, FL — The Charlotte Sun newspaper on Sunday published an editorial providing details from small business owners and others on the real impact of Ballot Amendment 2, which would mandate a $15 minimum wage across Florida.

“But, at the same time, business owners are screaming that it will have a negative impact and will not be the cure-all for poverty its sponsors hope for…. The main theme, echoed by each of the restaurant owners, was that many of their employees make more than $15 an hour now — especially those who count tips as part of their salary. And, they said, the added overhead could threaten to put them out of business or, at the very least, force them to lay off employees.

“A Sun-Sentinel op-ed piece backed up their concerns. It said Amendment 2 could cost the state as many as 158,000 jobs. It charged that many entry level employees — think high school kids or school drop-outs — would not get the $15-and-hour jobs.”

This editorial highlights the concerns of businesses, workers and leaders across Florida who warn against the consequences of a mandatory $15 minimum wage hike. If passed, Florida would be the first state in the nation to pass such an exponential increase in the minimum wage.

•  An economic impact study revealed Florida has already lost 336k jobs due to COVID-19, and Ballot Amendment 2 will kill another 158k jobs.
• The National Taxpayers Union, a nonprofit that advocates for taxpayer interests at all levels of government, warned the amendment will devastate family-owned small businesses.
• A Florida TaxWatch economic impact report said that businesses will pay an additional $7.3 billion a year to employ the same number of workers today at a $15 minimum wage.

The Charlotte Sun also makes the case that the minimum wage should not be set by a constitutional amendment, something no other state in the nation has done.

“We don’t believe voters should ever have been put in a position to approve or vote against Amendment 2.

“Historically, the Sun does not believe the Florida Constitution should be weighed down with amendments seeking to fix problems our Legislature refuses to deal with.”

Amendment 2 Hurts You is a campaign to raise awareness for the consequences of Ballot Amendment 2 on small businesses, workers and the economy.

Learn more about how Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate Florida:

·         Online at Amendment2HurtsYou.com

·         On Facebook

·         On Twitter

·         On LinkedIn

·         On Instagram

Help save Florida jobs by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2 this November.

###

Paid Political Advertisement by Save Florida Jobs Inc.
230 South Adams St., Ste 200
Tallahassee, FL, 32301

Tallahassee, FL — This week, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (FRLA) launched a tipped wage calculator on its website revealing the monumental cost Ballot Amendment 2 will have on Florida businesses if passed. The calculator helps small businesses determine the real cost Ballot Amendment 2 will have on their payroll expenses.

Ballot Amendment 2 is a Constitutional amendment for voters to consider on November 3 that will raise the mandatory minimum wage in Florida to $15 an hour.

This calculator depicts the drastic effects of Ballot Amendment 2, revealing that payroll costs with the mandatory minimum wage could increase as high as 77%. With such an exorbitant hike in payroll costs, this ballot amendment will force small businesses that are already struggling to close, destroying local economies and killing additional jobs.

“Before COVID-19, Florida’s restaurant, lodging, and tourism industry generated more than $112 billion in annual economic impact and provided jobs for more than 1.5 million Florida families,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “This tipped wage calculator will help to show Floridians the cold, hard numbers that will affect their bottom line and ultimately determine whether or not their business will survive.”

Small business owners and hospitality workers statewide have spearheaded the “Amendment 2 Hurts You” effort to educate Floridians about the detrimental effects Ballot Amendment 2 will have on Florida’s economy.

FRLA has served as one of the biggest advocates for the campaign.

“A new economic impact study has revealed that Florida will lose at least 158,0000 jobs for workers across the state if this ballot initiative is passed,” stated Dover. “Ballot Amendment 2 is a job killer, one that will leave the hospitality industry on life support. We cannot afford to lose the small, family-owned businesses that make Florida unique and are responsible for the majority of jobs created in this state.”

Florida’s unemployment rate stands at 11.3% due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. Additionally, a recent economic analysis reports that COVID-19 has already destroyed about 336,000 direct and hotel-supported jobs and led to hundreds of thousands of job losses and billions in sales. Many of Florida’s businesses already have had to furlough staff and reduce hours.

This scheme has already created devastating consequences on several cities across the nation, including Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C., killing jobs, closing businesses and expanding the income gap.

FRLA urges Floridians to help save Florida jobs by voting no on Ballot Amendment 2 this November.

ABOUT AMENDMENT 2 HURTS YOU:

Amendment 2 Hurts You is a campaign to raise awareness for the consequences of Ballot Amendment 2 on small businesses, workers and the economy.

Learn more about how Ballot Amendment 2 will devastate Florida:

• Online at Amendment2HurtsYou.com
• On Facebook
• On Twitter
• On LinkedIn
• On Instagram

###

Paid Political Advertisement by Save Florida Jobs Inc.
230 South Adams St., Ste 200
Tallahassee, FL 32301

TALLAHASSEE – Today, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association released a statement in response to the CDC Publication “Community and Close Contact Exposures Associated with COVID-19 Among Symptomatic Adults ≥ 18 Years in 11 Outpatient Health Care Facilities.”

The study was not conducted in Florida and irresponsibly seeks to blame dining out with COVID-19 positive cases in other states while not attributing or disclosing other consumer behavior prior to testing positive.

Statement from Carol Dover, President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association

“The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association echoes the outrage of the National Restaurant Association in response to the irresponsible and misleading CDC study that blames COVID spread on a single industry. As the national association shared in their own statement, ‘The methodology used in the recent CDC article focused on the transmission of COVID-19 and restaurant visits contains numerous flaws, and the conclusions of the study are insufficient to guide consumer behavior. Across myriad industries, including gyms, restaurants, and retail, the conclusions reached by the researchers are not supported. Furthermore, the results calling out restaurants specifically are not supported by the data nor the methodology.’

This study singlehandedly focused on only one consumer behavior – patronizing local restaurants. What else did those individuals do during the two weeks prior to testing positive? Did they attend other locations such as grocery stores, retail, or other places where people gather? How can it specifically be blamed on one behavior? Restaurants across Florida have gone above and beyond to adapt to requirements and enhance sanitation and operating procedures to ensure the safety of their employees and guests. We FULLY support their safe operation and the continuation of mask wearing, social distancing, active managerial control, and good hand hygiene. The study was conducted in July during nationwide COVID peaks, and, although no participants in the study were in Florida, we feel compelled to speak out and admonish the CDC for this report that will unnecessarily cause anxiety and fear at a time when we are coming together as a state to safely move forward under the thoughtful and measured approach by Governor Ron DeSantis and DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears.”

###

In case you missed it, Governor Ron DeSantis announced today that Broward and Miami-Dade Counties will move to Phase 2 of his “Safe. Smart. Step by Step. Plan for Florida’s Recovery.” The Order, among other things, affects restaurants, which are allowed to open to indoor dining at 50%, bar areas at restaurants may be open for seated service, and full capacity outdoor seating is permitted with appropriate social distancing.

Also announced last night was the re-opening of bars effective Monday, September 14. DBPR Secretary Halsey Beshears released Emergency Order 2020-10, which rescinds the previous Order that closed bars for on-premises consumption of alcohol. Please note that it was announced by both Broward and Miami-Dade County leadership that bars WILL NOT be permitted to open in those counties at this time. Bars will also remain closed per leadership in Palm Beach County. 

FRLA previously shared EOG guidance on Phase 2 and FAQs, which are shared again below, along with the Governor’s original Phase 2 Executive Order 20-139 which provides additional details.

Read The Executive Order here.