2014-08 Faulkner County Business Journal

AUGUST 2014

BACK ON TRACK CONWAY’S ARKANSAS SPINE AND PAIN HELPS PATIENTS ‘GET THEIR LIVES BACK’

2D — Sunday, August 10, 2014

Faulkner County Business Journal

Dillard’s to anchor Central Landing The Central Landing retail development now underway in Conway, Arkansas, has added a wellestablished name as a key anchor for the development’s first phase.

Will Wilson, President of Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC and the company’s partner, the Conway Development Corporation, announced the completion of a letter of intent with Dillard’s, Inc. (DDS: NYSE) to become part of the Central Landing development.

The Arkansas-based retail giant will become an anchor for the development’s first phase. Dillard’s, Inc. ranks among the nation’s largest fashion apparel and home furnishings retailers with annual revenues exceeding $6.6 billion.

“Adding the commitment of Dillard’s to the retail segment of Central Landing speaks volumes about the positive retail future of this excellent site in Conway, Arkansas,” Wilson said. “Dillard’s, well known to everyone in Arkansas, will bring an exciting, state-of-the-art store to this exceptional, growing and vibrant market, only a short distance from its Little Rock corporate office.”

Bill Dillard II, CEO of Dillard’s Inc., added, “We are happy to announce our commitment to Central Landing, adding a ninth location to

our home state of Arkansas. Conway is an established community and we look forward to serving this growing market that already knows Dillard’s as the hometown fashion destination.” The new Dillard’s at Central Landing is planned at 100,000 square feet and will feature the company’s latest advances in store design and construction.

The new shopping and dining destination located in the center of Conway will begin the transformation of the current airport site into a multiuse development that will serve Faulkner County, which is already recognized nationally as one of America’s fastest growing counties for population and job growth.

Central Landing is a 150-acre planned development featuring, in phase 1, the 250,000 square foot life style center, the Shoppes at Central Landing, anchored by Dillard’s department store and to be joined by over forty (40) specialty stores and restaurants. Following the retail phase, the development also includes plans for hotels, office buildings, single family residential and apartment homes.

The Central Landing project kicks off with the successful approval of the bond issue slated for a September 9, 2014, special election. Once approved, the timetable for

the commencement of construction begins with the improvements outlined in the roadway bond issue.

“Located in the heart of Conway, Arkansas, Central Landing will be an important segment of the continued economic growth and development of the city,” Wilson said.

Dillard’s, Inc. was founded by William T. Dillard in 1938 in Nashville, Arkansas on an $8,000 investment in a hometown department store. Today, Dillard’s, Inc. ranks among the nation’s largest fashion apparel and home furnishings retailers with annual revenues exceeding $6.6 billion.

The company operates 278 Dillard’s locations and 18 clearance centers spanning 29 states as well as CDI Contractors, LLC, one of Arkansas’ largest general contractors specializing in commercial construction projects including retail centers. Dillard’s focuses on delivering maximum fashion and value to its shoppers by offering compelling apparel and home selections complemented by exceptional customer care. Dillard’s stores offer a broad selection of merchandise and feature products from both national and exclusive brand sources. For more information about Dillard’s, please visit www. dillards.com.

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

TOP RESIDENTIAL HOME SALES, july

PRICE............. ADDRESS...................... BED/BATH...SUBDIVISION................ SQFT....... $/SQFT.......BUILT $440,000..........4550 Sawgrass Cove........5/3.5................Centennial Valley............... 4,075......... $107.98........2002 $367,439..........835 Burrow Avenue.........3/2.5................The Village at Hendrix...... 2,101......... $174.89........2013 $363,950..........5145 Bay Town Drive.......4/3....................Fairways at Centennial.... 3,045......... $119.52........2011 $345,000..........1810 Centennial Club.....4/4....................Centennial Valley............... 3,252......... $106.09........2000 $305,000..........2735 Glohaven..................5/4....................Cresthaven........................... 3,377......... $90.46...........2006 $300,000..........10 Eagle Shore..................3/2....................Eagle Shore.......................... 2,344......... $127.99........1994

EDITORIAL

A long time coming

The need for a new municipal airport in Conway was first identified in the 1975 Conway Municipal Airport Master Plan Study, which recognized that the existing Cantrell Field was adequate for most propeller aircraft but not for business jets or the larger, executivetype general aviation aircraft.

Full disclosure—we lifted that opening sentence word-for-word from a 2008 FAA environmental document.

It was one of the many documents we went through as we taxied down memory lane. Forgive us for feeling nostalgic as our community prepares to open a new Cantrell Field in Lollie Bottoms. But this project has been a long time coming and it has truly taken a village of engineers, politicians, public officials, aviation professionals and many, many dedicated volunteers and neighbors.

On September 5th when planes officially land at the new airport it will be the first time many Conway residents will have ever laid eyes on the site. What will they see? A fantastic new terminal building for starters. The new terminal has first class meeting space and will make a great first impression on anyone

Sunday, August 10, 2014 — 3D

Faulkner County Business Journal

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Sponsorships, booth space available for Business Expo, Taste of Conway

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce who flies to Conway. invites area businesses They will see a 5,500 to participate in the 2014 foot long runway that Business Expo. The dayis capable of safely hanlong event will take place dling any and all of the Thursday, Oct. 9, at the aircraft that currentConway Expo Center and ly have a reason to visit Fairgrounds. SouthwestConway. They’ll see new ern Energy is the prehangars and a natural senting sponsor. setting that’s downright Business Expo compeaceful. prises a breakfast, a busiWhat they won’t ness-to-business trade see is a finished airshow, lunch presentaport. And that’s a good tions and Taste of Conthing. Because growing way. Mary Margaret Satcommunities are nevterfield, director of Toad er finished building and Suck Daze and events at improving their infrathe Conway Area Chamstructure. This airport ber of Commerce, said is ready to open. But this setup provides busithis airport nesses with varied opporTHEis also pre2014tunities to network with paredGREATEST to grow.

The runway could other professionals and be extended exhibit their products ON to 6,000 feet inEARTH the near future. and services 2014to a diverse There are future phases and captive audience. of hangar construction “Business Expo’s muland room for more cortifaceted approach sets porate tenants. Some of it apart from other expos that work will very visin the central Arkansas ible if you venture out area,” Satterfield said. to the airport in the “First, the Business Expo next few months. The Breakfast is attended by new location also comes more than 150 represenwith real estate availtatives from Conway’s able for aviation related business community, inbusinesses and induscluding many decision tries that will one day makers. Second, the trade create new jobs for our show provides exhibitors community. with both immediate and The work that so deferred sales opportunimany have put into ties and business-to-busithis project finally have ness networking. Finally, the new Conway airTaste of Conway attracts port “cleared for landmore than 500 potential ing.” And the thoughtcustomers to Business ful preparations that Expo. We anticipate aphave gone into that proproximately 1,000 peocess have it “prepared ple will come to the Expo for takeoff.”

Center for Business Expo

USINESS

EXPO

FEATURING

C

B B

throughout the day.”

Business Expo kicks off at 8 a.m. with the Business Expo Breakfast, sponsored by Conway Corporation. The breakfast has been part of Business Expo since 2010 and traditionally has served as an occasion for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce to announce substantial economic development and community initiatives, including Conway2025, the design of the Interstate 40 corridor, a partnership with local nonprofit Arkansas Preschool Plus, and the Central Landing development.

F This year, EATURI breakN fast attendees willG hear an update on the Conway2025 strategic plan, which launched five years ago in 2009. Tickets are required to attend the breakfast and can be purchased online for $10.

The Business Expo and Retail Showcase, a business-to-business trade show, begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 7 p.m. Product demonstrations, business-to-business networking, and the actual selling of products and services – all done on the Expo floor – can ultimately increase sales and sales leads for exhibitors. The public can attend the trade show at no cost. For $5, Expo attendees can take advantage of an on-site lunch and sit in on one of two informative presentations.

This year’s theme is “The Greatest Expo on Earth.” The Chamber encourages participating businesses to incorporate a circus theme into their exhibits.

Taste of Conway gives the community the chance to sample some of the best food Conway has

to offer. The event takes place from 5-7 p.m. on the floor of Business Expo, giving food service providers the opportunity to get in front of more than 500 company representatives and community members. Restaurants, caterers, food and drink distributors, and other food service providers that are members of the Chamber are eligible to participate in Taste of Conway at no cost. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased online.

Sponsorships and booth space are available for the 2014 Business Expo and Taste of Conway. Booth space begins at $300 for Chamber-member businesses and $500 for nonmembers. Contact the Chamber at 501-327-7788 or visit ConwayChamber. org to learn 2more about 014 sponsorship and exhibition opportunities.

Presented by

S S E USIXNPO E A

N JOIN THE FU N O

N

D

OBER 9 OCT AY, D S UR TH

TASTE 2 OF CONWA014 Y

CONWAY EXP OC EN TE R

Y

& FAIR GROUNDS

Finding the time to network with other professionals, promote your business, and attract and retain new customers is a juggling act. Find balance at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Expo, where you can gain a competitive advantage while developing new relationships – all under one roof!

To register or for more info: ConwayChamber.org | 501-327-7788 #ConwayBusinessExpo

REGISTER AT CONWAYCHAMBER.ORG BY TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.

4D — Sunday, August 10, 2014

Faulkner County Business Journal

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

COVER STORY

Arkansas Spine and Pain opens full-time clinic in Conway Pain management specialists help patients ‘get their lives back’

An established central-Arkansas clinic specializing in pain management will soon have a full-time practice in Conway. Arkansas Spine and Pain (ASAP) diagnoses, treats and rehabilitates patients suffering from chronic pain and sportsrelated injuries. The Conway location opened in October 2013 as a satellite clinic and saw patients based on appointment.

Beginning this August, the clinic will operate during normal business hours Monday through Thursday at 1080 Pat’s Lane.

Krishnappa Prasad, M.D., is the physician for the Conway clinic. Dr. Prasad received his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College and completed his residencies in Internal Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at New York Medical College. He and the other physicians on staff provide various methods of pain control that will restore patients’ ability to live an active lifestyle at work and home.

“Chronic pain can have a debilitating effect on your life,” Dr. Prasad said. “Our clinic provides various methods of pain control that are quick and relatively painless.”

Arkansas Spine and Pain specializes in the treatment of chronic pain. Unlike acute pain, which is related to an injury or illness and lessens naturally during the healing process, chronic pain is an ongoing condition that may be part of a patient’s daily life.

“Our office has the ability to take care of most chronic pain situations,” said Dr. Prasad.

“While the majority of the patients we see have pain that is neck-related and low-back-related, we also treat pain from post-traumatic injuries, sports injuries and a variety of arthritic conditions, including pain in the facet joints, knee joints and shoulder joints. Basically, we treat any kind of pain in the body.”

Arkansas Spine and Pain specializes in interventional pain management and minimally invasive spine procedures. Pain management specialists manage chronic, post-operative pain as well as pain from disease, injury and painful conditions. Patients experiencing pain result-

ing from sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, work-related injuries, failed back surgery and cancer are ideal candidates for pain management and rehabilitation. The physicians also treat pain resulting from fibromyalgia, headaches and migraines, neuralgia, inflammation, and a host of other conditions.

Methods used to treat the pain range from steroid injections and nerve blocks to acupuncture and Botox. “Most notably, we do spinal disorders and perform interventions in terms of epidurals to treat disk bulges and other conditions,” Dr. Prasad said. “We also block nerves to treat nerve pain that originates in the back of the leg and perform smaller nerve blocks to treat pain from arthri-

tis. We can burn those nerves to give relief for eight months to a year.”

Physicians at Arkansas Spine and Pain are trained in advanced procedures such as Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) injections to treat injuries and promote the healing of bones and soft tissue. Notable athletes have turned to PRP injections as a quick, non-invasive alternative to surgery. PRP injections use platelets from the patient’s own blood to rebuild injured tendons or ligaments, which accelerates the healing process.

“PRP injections are the latest method to treat a variety of conditions that cannot be treated with surgery or with medication,” Dr. Prasad said. “For

example, a rotator cuff injury of the shoulder cannot be operated on, but it can be injected with PRP. Furthermore, patients with a certain type of arthritis may not be candidates for surgery. If medications or steroid injections are not helping, the next best thing is to do a PRP injection.”

Chronic pain is a complex medical condition that can have emotional, psychological and social consequences. For this reason, Arkansas Spine and Pain has a multi-disciplinary team of pain management specialists that includes board-certified physicians, a board-certified anesthesiologist, clinical psychologists, an advanced practice nurse and other medical professionals. Pain management specialists are licensed medical professionals trained in a variety of specialties who use various approaches to prevent, evaluate and treat acute or chronic pain disorders.

Arkansas Spine and Pain’s main clinic is located in Little Rock with satellite clinics in Conway, Benton, Jacksonville, North Little Rock and Warren.

Dr. Prasad encourages those suffering from chronic pain to talk to their primary care physician about being referred to Arkansas Spine and Pain. “Come to our office. We take care of all kinds of pain situations to give you a painless future.”

To learn more about Arkansas Spine and Pain, visit ArkansasSpineAndPain.com or call 501-227-0184.

6D — Sunday, August 10, 2014

Faulkner County Business Journal

Chamber employees earn IOM recognition Lindsay Henderson, senior vice president of Chamber operations at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, and Mary Margaret Satterfield, director of Toad Suck Daze and events, received the IOM graduate recognition in July from the Institute for Organization Management.

Institute is a fouryear professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. As graduates of Institute, both Henderson and Satterfield have completed 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management.

The curriculum consists of four weeklong sessions offered annually at five locations across the country. Participants learn from university professors, industry ex-

perts and leading practitioners in the chamber and association industries. Course topics include advocacy, membership, media training, finance, legal issues, human resources and other facets of running a nonprofit organization.

“Obtaining my IOM

has afforded me many learning opportunities as a Chamber professional,” Henderson said.

“I have been fortunate to gain insight from Chambers of all sizes and from all parts of the country.

I will carry these best practices throughout my career.”

Satterfield said attending Institute and obtaining her IOM was beneficial to her professional growth, both inside and outside the classroom. “I learned valuable information about nonprofit management and Chamber practices through the classroom setting.

In addition, I picked up many ideas and practical application from the friends and classmates I made during the four years of the program.”

Lindsay Henderson and Mary Margaret Satterfield join Conway Area Chamber colleagues Brad Lacy, president and CEO, and Laura Grimes, chief financial officer, in earning the IOM graduate recognition. For more information about the program, visit Institute.USChamber.com.

Sidney Moncrief to speak at awards gala Sidney Moncrief, an Arkansas native and retired professional basketball player, will be the keynote speaker at the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s Minority Enterprise Development awards gala. The event will take place Thursday, Sept. 18, at 6:30 p.m. in McCastlain Hall on the University of Central Arkansas campus.

Moncrief is a five-time NBA All-Star, five-time member of the NBA AllDefensive team, a twotime NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and an NBA All-Pro. He is

also a former head coach for a college basketball Moncrief team and a former assistant coach in the NBA. Off the court, Moncrief served on the board of directors for a Fortune 500 company and as president of various auto sales businesses.

He is the author of five books: “Sidney Moncrief: My Journey to the NBA,”

“Your Passport to Reinventing You,” “Your Passport to Becoming a Valuable Team Player,” “Your Passport to Back2Basics Leadership,” and “Your Passport to Manhood.”

Moncrief is a presenter through his company, Moncrief One Team.

It specializes in personal and professional development of individuals, teams and organizations by providing team enhancement, career readiness, consulting and coaching.

The MED awards gala is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements

of minority entrepreneurs and the individuals and organizations committed to advancing minority-owned businesses. The nomination process for the five categories of awards has ended, and the recipients will be announced prior to the event.

Limited tables are available for the MED awards gala. Those interested in attending should visit ConwayChamber.org or contact Whitney Cummings, director of events, at 501932-5411 or Whitney@ ConwayArkansas.org.

To subscribe call (501) 329-2927 • Log Cabin Democrat

EconomyGlance Unemployment Rate

June Seasonally Adjusted US.................................................... 6.1% Arkansas....................................... 6.2% Not Seasonally Adjusted US.................................................... 6.3% Arkansas....................................... 6.5% Faulkner County ...................... 5.9% Conway......................................... 5.9%

Sales Tax Collections

Conway* May 2014.................................... $2,122,610 2013.................................... $2,009,749 Percent Change 5.6% Year to Date (May) 2014.................................... $9,345,813 2013.................................... $9,557,087 Percent Change -2.2% Annual 2013..................................$23,235,891 2012..................................$22,944,163 Percent Change 1.3% *Tax Rate 1.75% Faulkner County* May 2014........................................$781,785 2013........................................$744,590 Percent Change 5.0% Year to Date (May) 2014.................................... $3,487,261 2013.................................... $3,520,519 Percent Change -0.9% Annual 2013.................................... $8,588,835 2012.................................... $8,465,686 Percent Change 1.5% *Tax Rate 0.5% Restaurant Sales* May 2014..................................$15,433,794 2013..................................$14,451,246 Percent Change 6.8% Year to Date (May) 2014..................................$72,401,274 2013..................................$68,895,474 Percent Change % 5.1 Annual Sales 2013............................... $164,989,586 2012............................... $161,318,563 Percent Change 2.3% *Including mixed drink sales Hotel Sales May 2014.................................... $2,248,596 2013.................................... $2,096,535 Percent Change 7.3% Year to Date (May) 2014.................................... $8,213,315 2013.................................... $8,003,757 Percent Change 2.6% Annual Sales 2013..................................$18,556,911 2012..................................$18,683,676 Percent Change -0.7%

Conway Building Permits

Single Family Homes Year to Date (July) 2014..................................... 73 Permits 2013..................................... 90 Permits Percent Change -18.9% Annual 2013...................................147 Permits 2012...................................186 Permits 2011...................................153 Permits Percent Change 2013-2012 -21.0% Average Construction Cost*

Annual 2013........................................$228,275 2012........................................$207,537 2011....................................... $204,387 Percent Change 2013-2012 10.0% *Not including land or lot improvements Average Square Footage* Annual 2013............................................... 3,002 2012............................................... 2,910 2011............................................... 2,814 Percent Change 2013-2012 3.2% Average Construction Cost Per Square Foot* Annual 2013.............................................$76.04 2012.............................................$71.33 2011.............................................$72.64 Percent Change 2013-2012 6.6%% * Total under roof

Lottery Sales

Faulkner County July 2014.................................... $1,057,814 2013.................................... $1,126,010 Percent Change -6.1% Year to Date (July) 2014.................................... $8,570,818 2013.................................... $9,736,631 Percent Change -12.0% Annual 2013..................................$17,038,277 2012..................................$16,943,909 Percent Change .06% Total State July 2014..................................$30,630,211 2013..................................$32,483,166 Percent Change -5.7% Year to Date (July) 2014............................... $242,573,271 2013............................... $266,770,723 Percent Change -9.1% Annual 2013............................... $432,932,799 2012 ............................. $452,245,215 Percent Change -4.3%

Natural Gas

Severance Tax Distribution Conway Year to Date (July) 2014........................................$208,594 2013........................................$157,494 Percent Change 32.4% Annual 2013........................................$276,523 2012........................................$162,457 Percent Change 70.2% Faulkner County Year to Date (July) 2014........................................$169,829 2013........................................$127,818 Percent Change 32.9% Annual 2013........................................$224,455 2012........................................$131,418 Percent Change 70.8%

Information provided by pulseofconway.com

Log Cabin Democrat • Find our online edition at www.thecabin.net

Faulkner County Business Journal

Sunday, August 10, 2014 — 7D

The minimum wage debate

By Roger Lewis

Henry Ford in 1913 raised wages from about $2.25 to $5 per day, including bonuses, for a nine-hour shift. The $2.25 was a fair wage at that time and would be equivalent to $54 today. The $5 wage would be equivalent to $120 or approximately $13.33 per hour. There was no federal-mandated minimum wages at that time; wages were market driven. But why raise wages to $5, well above the market? The argument set forth by many was so that Ford’s workers could afford to buy a Model T – which sold for around $500 – and boost sales. The raise in pay cost Ford about $9 million a year in additional salary costs for 14,000 workers.

If every worker bought a new car, it would generate about $7 million in sales. Not all of the workers would buy a new car, and certainly not every year, but the cost of a salary increase continues each year. It is not a good business strategy to increase your labor cost $9 million a year to raise sales less than $7 million over several years. So why raise salaries that much?

Ford’s turnover rate was very high. In 1913, the company hired more than 52,000 men to keep a workforce of only 14,000. Many of the jobs where monotonous, and workers simply quit and walked off. The assembly line often stopped, halting production of cars. It was costly to recruit and train

workers. The increased cost and delayed production kept Ford from selling his cars at the low price he wanted. Drastic measures were necessary if he was to keep up this production and lower the cost. Paying $5 per day was the major solution, and the price of the Model T continued to drop. By 1927, the last year of its production, the Model T’s basic model sold for $260.

Fifteen million Model T’s where produced.

In 1938, President Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) that banned oppressive child labor and set the minimum hourly wage at 25 cents and the maximum workweek at 44 hours. The act applied to industries whose combined employment represented only about onefifth of the labor force. It applied generally to employees in the production of goods and products for interstate commerce.

It was not applicable to many small local businesses. Of course, this act was not without a lot of controversy and has had far-reaching implications.

The minimum wage was increased periodically and reached one dollar an hour in 1956. By 1978, it was $2.65 and covered many more workers. After years of amending the Act, the minimum wage was set in 2009 at $7.25 per hour for a 40-hour week; time-and-a-half pay is given for hours worked beyond that. Today, the minimum wage remains at $7.25 and covers near-

ly all hourly workers.

Falling behind

The chart illustrates that since 1983, the minimum wage has not kept up with inflation (Consumer Price Index, CPI), causing minimum wage workers to fall further behind. When adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage of $1.60 per hour in 1968 would be equivalent to $10.32 per hour today, the highest minimum wage ever in terms of purchasing power. The last increase in minimum wage was in 2009 from $6.55 to $7.25. Adjusting the minimum wage of $7.25 for inflation would be $8.05 today, still behind the 1968 level. I think it would be hard to argue against not subjecting the minimum wage to cost of living adjustments. There is an abundance of research on the minimum wage, and a preponderance of it shows that a modest increase in minimum wages, such as cost of living

increase, has little or no effect on the economy.

The question as to whether we raise the minimum wage or even have a minimum wage is an ongoing debate. That is, should there be a federally mandated wage or should wages be market driven? Roosevelt established a minimum wage because of an oversupply of labor, and he wanted more people working and earning money to stimulate the economy. The economist Paul Krugman points out that the benefits of low turnover and high morale in your workforce come not from paying a high wage, but from paying a high wage “compared with other companies.” That is precisely what mandating an increase in the minimum wage for all companies cannot accomplish.

Here is my take on it: If wages are market driven, then the supply and demand will dictate the wages. If labor is in short supply, wages will in-

crease because companies must pay more to attract and retain workers. This was true several years ago when the unemployment rate was below 6 percent, and “help wanted” signs were abundantly prevalent. However, if there is an oversupply of labor, when the unemployment rate is above 8 percent, there is not a strong demand for workers. Workers at this level have no bargaining power and are often exploited. In this case, I believe we need a minimum wage to protect workers.

Many minimum wage workers are part-time employees, so companies do not have to pay benefits such as sick leave, vacation, hospitalization or retirement contributions. There are no federal laws requiring companies to pay these benefits, but most do for full-time employees for the same reason Henry Ford raised wages to $5 per day – to retain good workers. They offer benefits to full-time

employees as a company policy, but most do not offer these benefits to parttime employees working less than 30 hours per week.

A minimum wage worker at $7.75 per hour working 40 hours per week for 52 weeks (no paid sick leave, holidays, vacations or time off) would earn $16,120 per year and below 150 percent of the 2012 Federal Poverty Guidelines of $16,755 for a single person. Many of those holding part-time jobs hold two or three jobs working more than 40 hours per week with no overtime pay as required in the FLSA Act. Many lowincome workers, particularly with dependents, receive subsistence help such as earned income tax credit, food stamps and Medicaid-supported health care. While these workers probably pay no income tax, they pay payroll taxes, and a disproportional amount of their income goes to sales taxes. In my opinion, this is corporate welfare – not just welfare for low-income workers. This is the only way these people can exist and hence for companies to pay low wages. Raising the minimum wage could very well reduce the reliance on government subsistence programs to survive. We need a realistic minimum wage, one adjusted annually for inflation.

More information can be found at Pulse of Conway website, pulseofconway.com