Chamber holds post-legislative update

https://martinsvillebulletin.com/news/local/government-politics/chamber-holds-post-legislative-update/article_b2b42fbe-0320-11ef-bdb7-bfe0421772cd.html

Apr 26, 2024 Martinsville Bulletin

About 50 people attended the annual MHC Chamber of Commerce Post Legislative Update held at New College Institute Wednesday morning.

“I can tell you a company made five visits to the Berry Hill Mega Site and a vendor to a second company would mean thousands of jobs for the area,” Phillips said. “These are game changers.” (FAIL).

The Southern Virginia Mega Site at Berry Hill is in Phillips’ district in Pittsylvania County and the 3,528 acres property is the largest business site in Virginia as well as the southeast United States.

During Phillips’ address to the audience, a large, live image of his opponent in the Special Election, Melody Cartwright, was prominently displayed on a large screen on the wall behind him. The meeting was live-streamed, but the image of the feed on the screen only showed Cartwright.

The minimum wage in Virginia will rise to $13.50 per hour effective Jan. 1, and further increase to $15 per hour will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.

“I voted against minimum wage (and I won’t vote for it) because minimum wage is not supposed to be a living wage,” Phillips said. “When minimum wage goes up, that’s why you are bagging your own groceries and using a kiosk at a restaurant. When you raise the minimum wage, you compress the middle class.” (FAIL).

"The Great and Powerful Mel."