Today, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) rallied with industry workers, family restaurant owners and fellow lawmakers to protect the tipped-wage credit, an important tax provision that helps workers earn a living wage while helping restaurant owners keep their doors open and their neighbors on the payroll.

The governor has threatened to revoke the tipped wage credit and compromise the livelihoods of service industry professionals and restaurant owners alike.

“Our message is simple- if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. The tipped wage credit helps hardworking service industry professionals earn a good living. Additionally, eliminating the credit for family restaurant owners would increase their business costs and jeopardize jobs for tipped workers at a time they’re already dealing with a very difficult economic climate. The last thing we should be doing is taking action that will hurt workers and job creators. If the tipped wage credit is eliminated it will hurt the very workers they claim to want to help,” said Palmesano.

Palmesano noted that if restaurant owners face increasing labor costs, they will have no choice but to lay off workers and pass costs on to consumers.

“In the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes Region, the hospitality and tourism industries are important sectors of our economy. We should be looking for new ways to reform regulations, provide tax relief and spark investment. Revoking the tipped wage credit would do exactly the opposite by hurting small business owners and employees alike,” said Palmesano.