Republican Senate candidate Steve Garvey says minimum wage is “where it is and should be,” citing California’s recent move to increase the minimum wage to $20 an hour in April.
Executives at McDonald’s and Chipotle Mexican Grill have already indicated menu price hikes are coming, and at least two major Pizza Hut franchise operators in California announced that they would be laying off all in-house delivery drivers as a result of the new law.
“Minimum wage is where it is and should be,” said Steve Garvey during the debate Monday evening. “If you look at what California has done to fast food franchises right now, increasing the minimum wage to $20. Then what’s going to happen? That’s going to increase costs for hard-working Californians to go to a franchise.”
At that point the bell rings to indicate time has run out. However, Garvey continued.
“Instead of a Big Mac for $9, it’s going to be $15.”
