Save Rockland Business is an informal Alliance of businesses and organizations who share concern about the minimum wage referendum question on the Rockland ballot.  The Alliance encourages Rockland voters to vote ‘No’ on the minimum wage referendum question. 

The Alliance has come together in response to the action of the Rockland City Council to place the issue of a local minimum wage on the current ballot following discussion at one meeting on September 14 – one week prior to the deadline for printing ballots.  If approved by referendum vote, the new ordinance would increase the minimum wage for Rockland employers with over 25 employees to $15 per hour by 2024. 

The Alliance agrees that there are real challenges to living affordably in Rockland.  However, placing additional burden on Rockland businesses to bring the minimum wage in Rockland to the same level as cities like Seattle, San Francisco, and New York as we recover from a pandemic is the wrong solution, with potentially disastrous results for local businesses and the employees that this ordinance would supposedly help.  The people of Maine have already recently addressed minimum wage, which will continue to rise annually with increases in the Consumer Price Index. Maine’s minimum wage is already one of the highest in the country at 63% above the federal minimum wage, and only the states of California, Massachusetts, and Washington have a higher minimum wage. 

To date, the following businesses and organizations have joined the Save Rockland Business Alliance. 

Archer’s On The Pier 

ASK…For Home Care 

Brass Compass Café 

Club House II 

ERA Cousens Realty 

Garden Island Laundromat 

Heal Accounting 

Homeshare, Inc. 

Hospitality Maine 

Knight Marine Service 

Loyal Biscuit Co. 

Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association 

Maine State Chamber of Commerce 

Maritime Energy 

Maritime Farms Stores 

OrganiClean 

Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce 

Puffin’s Nest 

Retail Association of Maine 

Rock Harbor Brewing Co. 

Rockland Harbor Hotel 

Sierra Peaks 

Snowdrop Confections 

Southend Grocery 

SummerMaine Properties 

Sweet Peas Family Consignment 

Trackside Station 

The Alliance continues to grow, and more businesses and organizations are welcome to express their support for Save Rockland Business by emailing info@saverocklandbusiness.com.   

The Alliance is appreciative of the local businesses and statewide organizations with members in Rockland who have stepped up to provide funding and volunteer assistance for this educational effort.  This funding removes the financial burden on the many struggling Rockland businesses to get the message out in response to this last-minute referendum question.  The Alliance is also grateful to the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce for providing administrative support to the Alliance, and to the Chamber’s board for their public statement issued on Friday.   

Those wishing to learn more about the Save Rockland Business Alliance are encouraged to visit their website at SaveRocklandBusiness.com or their Facebook page at facebook.com/SaveRocklandBusiness.