Email the Baltimore City Council to Oppose Tip Credit Elimination Bill
For Restaurant or Bar Owners/Operators and GMs ONLY
The Baltimore City Council is considering legislation (Council Bill 25-0058) that would eliminate the tip credit, a move that would significantly increase labor costs for full-service restaurants and bars, and would reduce the overall earnings of tipped employees.
We need business owners and managers to speak out now.
First, call your Councilmember—especially if you already have a relationship with them. A quick, personal call can make a big impact.
STEP 1:
Write Your Email (just 1–2 short paragraphs)
Be sure to include:
Identify yourself and your business (name, neighborhood, years in operation, number of employees).
Clearly state: “I oppose Council Bill 25-0058. Preserving the tip credit is critical to my business and my employees.”
Share the financial impact on your business if the tip credit is eliminated.
Quick formula: ($15 - current base wage) × avg. hours/week × 52 = yearly added cost per employee
Example (using current tip credit base wage of $3.63/hour): $15.00 – $3.63 = $11.37 (added cost per hour)
One tipped employee working 30 hours/week = $17,740 more per year. Ten tipped employees = $177,400 more per year.
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Note what your tipped employees currently earn per hour (with tips included).
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Explain why they’d take home less without the tip credit (higher prices → fewer customers, service charges replacing tips, reduced incentive for great service).
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Share how you’d have to adjust: cut staff or hours, raise prices, add service charges, or move to counter service.
STEP 2:
Send Your Email
Copy and paste these addresses into your message:
zeke.cohen@baltimorecity.gov; mark.parker@baltimorecity.gov; danielle.mccray@baltimorecity.gov; ryan.dorsey@baltimorecity.gov; mark.conway@baltimorecity.gov; isaac.schleifer@baltimorecity.gov; sharon.middleton@baltimorecity.gov; james.torrence@baltimorecity.gov; paris.gray@baltimorecity.gov; john.bullock@baltimorecity.gov; phylicia.porter@baltimorecity.gov; zachary.blanchard@baltimorecity.gov; jermaine.jones@baltimorecity.gov; antonio.glover@baltimorecity.gov; odette.ramos@baltimorecity.gov
It’s best to send your message to all members of the Baltimore City Council listed above. If you’d like to find out which Councilmember represents your business location, use the City Council district lookup tool HERE (using your business address).
Click HERE to print a one-page flyer about this issue to share with employees, or post in break room or near employee time clock.
Click HERE to download and print a notice you can share with your customers or display in a visible location at your business.
Please share SaveBmoreRestaurants.com with other restaurant/bar owners and managers you know.