New law no bargain

Rocky seas are ahead for businesses in Massachusetts.

Yesterday, Gov. Charlie Baker signed the “grand bargain” bill into law. It increases the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2023, requires paid leave for workers starting in 2021 and establishes an annual sales tax holiday each August.

The bill is as warm and fuzzy as they come but will ultimately hurt businesses and subsequently the residents of the commonwealth it was designed to help.

Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour will be burdensome to small and big businesses alike. Mom-and-pop shops will simply stop hiring, and fast food restaurants and the like will expedite their push for automation over people. It’s already happening.

Mandatory paid leave is compassionate in concept but destructive in execution. Allowing mom and dad to stay home to enjoy the new baby is wonderful, but it will come at the price of $800 million in payroll taxes on workers and employers in Massachusetts.

While a sales tax holiday is a good thing, cutting the state sales tax is a much better thing. But no matter. Pols on Beacon Hill fended off some dreaded ballot questions and the hardworking taxpayers of the commonwealth are now left with no line of defense — not the state Senate, the House or the governor’s office.

Candidate Baker was stalwart in his advocacy of the Massachusetts taxpayer. He hammered his opponent, Martha Coakley, on the topic and the electorate rewarded him for it.

No doubt, ballot petitioners needed to be dealt with, and there are some positive nuggets in the bill, but overall this legislation is bad for businesses and workers.

Last year, the state Legislature voted themselves a handsome pay raise. This week the mayor of Boston as well as the City Council did the same. Taxpayers are made to hand over their hard-earned dollars to improve the standard of living for their elected representatives again and again.

When do they get some relief? One weekend in the summer?

We deserve better.