October 1st, 2019 by WCBC Radio

Maryland will raise the minimum wage to $11 an hour at the beginning of the year, leaving some local businesses trying to figure out how the change will affect them.  While state lawmakers pushed through the wage hike- efforts to impose a national minimum wage increase have stalled in the senate. That leaves Maryland business owners somewhat at a competitive disadvantage, with neighboring states not having to adjust to a payroll increase. During hearings in Annapolis last winter, dozens of business owners from Western Maryland testified against the bill- arguing that the costs would ultimately have to be passed on to the customers-and that would hurt their business. Congressman David Trone, who represents Allegany and Garrett counties, has a different take and was one of the leading proponents of a national minimum wage increase…