PORTLAND, Maine - Several business owners gathered Wednesday morning at Becky’s Diner on Portland's waterfront to detail their opposition to a November ballot question that would raise Portland’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
They're part of a coalition known as "Vote No on 1 Portland Too Far, Too Fast." Among them is Jim Wellehan, owner of Lamey-Wellehan Shoe Stores.
Wellehan - who does not operate a business in Portland - supports another proposal that would raise the statewide minimum wage to $12 an hour. He says an increase to $15 in Portland would devastate the city's economy.
"I personally favor a low maximum wage and a high minimum wage - that's how we run our company," Wellehan said. "But we've got to work on it together."
Supporters of Question 1 argue that the it would lift workers out of poverty and bring wages into line with the cost of living.