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Niwot Market owner urges Boulder County to pause minimum-wage increase, warns of business closures
Summary
Seth Steele, owner of Niwot Market, told the Boulder County commissioners during public comment that an upcoming local minimum-wage ordinance could raise his payroll about 30% and threaten the store's viability; he asked the board to pause increases until counties and cities coordinate.
Seth Steele, owner of Niwot Market, told the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners during public comment on Feb. 6 that a pending county minimum-wage ordinance threatens his small grocery business and asked commissioners to pause the increase until communities coordinate regionally.
Steele said he is preparing for payroll increases “by at least 30 percent,” which he estimated as “$10,000 a week, a half a million dollars a year” for his store and contrasted that with what he called a typical annual revenue year: “at a place where in a good year we make $100,000.” He said the store competes with nearby larger grocers and that aggressive wage increases for small, rural businesses could force job cuts or higher prices.
The concern, Steele said, arises from the scope of the county ordinance’s application. “It appeared clear that the intent of the local government was to create a consistent minimum wage throughout all of the community,” he told commissioners, but added that applying the same wage formula in rural towns risks harming businesses with small customer bases. “When it is dead, it is dead,” he said.
Commissioner Stoltzmann, participating virtually, acknowledged the pressure on both workers and employers, citing recent strikes and news reports about grocery-worker pay. Stoltzmann said she hears “loud and clear from business owners that they’re struggling, and I’m also hearing from people working at businesses that they’re struggling.” She said the county needs a “twofold approach” pairing wage increases with work on housing affordability.
Chair Commissioner Lopeman thanked Steele for speaking and said staff will follow up so Commissioner Levy, who leads the county’s regional wage work and was excused, can hear the comments. Lopeman said Levy is “working with the mayors around the region” and described ongoing regional conversations about wage coordination.
No formal motion or vote on the ordinance was recorded during the Feb. 6 public comment period. Commissioners and staff did not adopt, amend or pause the ordinance on the record at that meeting; Steele’s remarks were entered as public comment and the board indicated staff follow-up and continued regional discussions.
The commissioners closed the public comment session and moved to other business. The minimum-wage ordinance and any formal actions would be reflected in later agenda items and minutes if the board takes action.
