Thread: Immigration reform takes bite

Another illegal alien hugger idiot with more of the "sky is falling hysteria":
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Immigration reform takes bite

Hysteria could leave eateries short of workers

ORLANDO -- - The head of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association warned Friday that the hysteria over immigration reform could take a huge bite out of the state's restaurant sector.

There already is a shortage of good workers in the state's restaurant industry, and immigrants have helped fill the need, said Carol Dover, chief executive officer and president of the Tallahassee-based association that represents the state's eateries and hotels.

"Unfortunately, people are hyping this up to look like the 12 million immigrants -- most of them are criminals," Dover said. "That's a very few percentage of them. Most are here to work."

Dover's comments came Friday during the opening of the annual Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show in Orlando's Orange County Convention Center.

The show, the largest of its kind in the southeastern United States, is a chance for exhibitors to coax restaurant owners to purchase everything from new menu items to lighting fixtures and tableware.

It also is a chance for restaurant operators to sample foods and meet with industry representatives to discuss everything from taxes to new trends.

An estimated 15,650 exhibitors and attendees are at this year's show, which concludes Sunday. The event is not open to the general public.

As with many business sectors, the restaurant industry in Florida has been faced with several challenges the last few years.

There was the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that kept people at home.

After that came a series of hurricanes.

Gasoline prices, hovering around $3 a gallon, remain a sticking point, as do high insurance rates and a decline in
the real estate market.

Howard Appell, publisher of the Boca Raton-based Today's Restaurant News, a trade publication focusing on Florida's food-service sector, said the housing market certainly is having its effect on eateries, particularly with the resetting of adjustable-rate mortgages, which will increase monthly mortgage payments for many homeowners and shrink their disposable income.

"People who have less disposable income eat out less," Appell said. "It's pretty simple."

Dover said she hasn't heard much about the housing market affecting the industry yet.

But operating costs -- from gasoline to an increase in the minimum wage -- are hitting restaurateurs hard, she said.

"I had some board members tell me today that this is the toughest they've seen it in 20 years to make a profit," Dover said. "It's not one big issue. It's a little bit here with minimum wage. Gasoline has gone up, so food costs have gone up. Everything is hitting them."

James Tsamoutales, owner of the World Beat Café, which celebrates its one-year anniversary on Thursday, said he has confidence that Florida restaurateurs will continue to find success, if they offer a top-notch menu with good service.

"Ultimately, Florida will always be a popular place with tourists and retirees," said Tsamoutales, who hopes to broaden the appeal of his "tapas" menu in Brevard County. Tapas is the name for a wide variety of Spanish appetizers.

Another local restaurant operator counting on an influx of new residents -- and snowbirds -- is Steve Sciortino who recently opened the Malabar Grill & Café off U.S. 1.

"It's no big secret," Sciortinio said. "You have to offer great food and great service. The rest is just money."

Too many businesses have grown accustomed to a business model that is predicated upon the existence of an elastic labor pool of desperate, docile workers. So were societies that practiced slavery, indentured servitude, caste systems, and the like. Yes there will be pain as that changes, but in order to get back on track with the progress of western civilization it has to change!

Excellent characterization Betsy

And, I'd only add... that every time, yes EVERY TIME an employer hires an illegal alien ("knowingly"?) for any job they are committing a Federal crime (which is a felony). So, we have entire industries (or segments of industries) who's business model is based upon endemic felonious behavior...
...Hmmmmm. Why should these businesses be allowed to operate at all?

This level of corruption in our society is disappointing, as it feels like we have come to a society where everybody is expected to look the other way, as they are in the third world countries. What will we be expected to embrace next? Express kidnappings? Bribery to get anything done?

Alexander Pope - “Vice is a monster so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen; Yet too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then embrace.â€

Originally Posted by BetsyRoss

This level of corruption in our society is disappointing, as it feels like we have come to a society where everybody is expected to look the other way, as they are in the third world countries. What will we be expected to embrace next? Express kidnappings? Bribery to get anything done?

The transformation of our nation into one like Mexico has been going along swimmingly, hasn't it?