C.O. businesses brace for another minimum wage hike

(Update: More from Redmond businesses on minimum wage hike)

The One Street Down Cafe has been a part of the Redmond community for the past 7 years.

General Manager Corey Whalen said he is conflicted about an upcoming minimum wage hike. While they like to see their employees get a raise, they have a hard time adjusting financially when it is mandated by the government.

“I don’t think that this is the fix,” Whalen said. “I think that it’s a good start. I’m a strong proponent of $15 minimum wage, but I think that it’s going to hurt a lot of small businesses.”

A new round of minimum wage increases is set to go into effect across Oregon on July 1, with all the impacts such changes bring — good or bad.

A 50-cent increase will raise the minimum wage in Deschutes County and other urban areas to $10.25 an hour.

In rural counties, including Jefferson and Crook, the hike will not be as high, under last year’s approval of increases broken into regions. Instead, they will raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour, a 50-cent increase.

Workers who benefit from the higher wages enjoy the raise, but some say it doesn’t go as far as it used to, with the cost of living always on the rise.

Some Central Oregon businesses said Wednesday they will have to raise prices in order to pay their employees the higher salaries.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” said Whalen. “It hits small businesses pretty hard.”