The Courier-Journal

In a visit to western Louisville, Sen. Rand Paul said he opposes raising the minimum wage because it restricts job prospects for minorities and children.

"It is a fact, an economic fact, that when you raise the minimum wage, the people that are hurt the worst are minorities and kids," Paul told a dozen business owners and officials gathered at the Louisville Plate Glass Co., 1401 W. Broadway, owned by GOP mogul Bill Stone.

Instead, Paul said, the best way to lure investment to blighted neighborhoods is to dramatically slash corporate and personal income taxes in those areas. He has introduced legislation that would cut those taxes in ZIP codes where at least one quarter of the residents live at or below the poverty line, dubbed "Economic Freedom Zones."

Retail developer Frank Bridgewaters — a co-owner of The Mardrian Group, which owns the property on which Walmart plans a superstore at 18th and Broadway — asked Paul whether his plan helped government or developers acquire land.

Paul, R-Ky., who is considering a 2016 presidential bid, said he does not like the use of eminent domain, whereby the government or developers in partnership with government, take private property to clear large parcels often required for large-scale redevelopment.

"Some of the urban renewal stuff from the sixties, you'll still find resentment in the community who says 'You know what, we weren't too happy about them taking our businesses,' " Paul said. "What they call blight was actually someone owned that business. Some say it led to less minority-owned business when we did that."

The $25 million project — the largest investment in the West End in decades — is being funded in part by a $1.8 million municipal grant to Bridgewaters to buy land and a $500,000 grant to Walmart if 225 new jobs are created in five years.

Bridgewaters said the Walmart is expected to create 400 jobs and "spark a lot of growth." And he said he has asked Walmart to hire job applicants from western Louisville.

But Paul said requiring Walmart to hire from the neighborhood is not necessary in this instance.

"No one is going to drive from probably the eastern side of Louisville all the way over to work in that Walmart, probably," Paul said. "The locality helps to encourage local hiring as well."

Paul said the jobs, "even if they pay minimum wage, are a lot better than zero jobs that pay zero dollars. Do we all want more than minimum wage? Yes."

"My kids work for minimum wage," he said. "One works delivering pizza. The other one works at a call center."

Jere Downs can be reached at (502) 582-4669, Jere Downs on Facebook and Jeredowns on Twitter.