There is some new talk about trying to raise Florida's minimum wage.
Florida has a voter approved minimum wage higher than the national minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Florida's minimum wage is tied to inflation and it will increase to $8.05 per hour January 1st.
Two Democrat state lawmakers from Miami want the state legislature to increase Florida's minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. Advocates say that would make a huge difference in the lives of low wage workers.
Bay News 9 spoke with a local business owner and employee for reaction.
Dwayne Williams is the owner of Dwayne's Place restaurant in Lakeland. He said 75-percent of his 48 employees are paid minimum wage. He said he would probably be forced to close the restaurant with the higher wage requirement.
"Would it be worth putting in 100 hours a week in the restaurant business for a little bit of profit," he said.
Hostess Samantha Villanueva said the more than $2 an hour hike would make a difference in her life and for her mother. She lives with her mother and helps with the household bills.
"I think she would have extra money to spend on herself as well. Use the money to buy things she would enjoy more," she said.
Increasing state minimum wages was a winning idea at the polls in November. Voters in five state approved hikes. The highest was in Illinois to $10 per hour.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said more than a million Florida workers are paid less than $10 per hour now. So a large number of people would benefit from the proposed hike.
Lakeland's Chamber of Commerce is opposed to a higher minimum wage.
Tim Rice with Ward's Air Conditioning said hiking the minimum wage would result in a net decrease in jobs for the people who need them the most.
Prospects for a minimum wage hike by the legislature don't appear to strong. Polk State Representative John Wood doesn't believe there will be enough votes for the idea.