Bellingham voters to decide on minimum wage increase to $17.28 in 2024

(The Center Square) – Voters in Bellingham are set to vote on an initiative establishing a citywide minimum hourly wage of $17.28 in 2024 and $19.28 in 2025.

The minimum wage increases would go into effect on May 1 over the next two years if Initiative One is approved by voters.

Community First Whatcom put the initiative on the ballot and is urging voters to approve of the initiatives, saying that Bellingham workers are struggling to pay rent and make ends meet at the current minimum wage of $15.74 per hour.

Betsy Pernotto, Devan Fischer, and Seth Mangold represented Community First Whatcom’s Initiative One in a statement in favor of the ballot measure on VoteWA.org.

“When we expect workers, especially those with children, to live paycheck to paycheck, our local economy and community are undermined,” the statement reads on VoteWA.org. “A modest increase of $2 in the minimum wage in Bellingham by 2025 will improve the living standards of minimum-wage workers by putting an additional $4160/year in their pockets.”

- Advertisement -

Washington Policy Center Small Business Center Director Mark Harmsworth published a blog post in July 2023 that describes the minimum wage increase as “job killing.” According to Harmsworth, the wage increase would lead to job loss, reduction in available work hours, and cause further inflation.

Small businesses in Bellingham could become at risk of cutting their operational costs due to a minimum wage increase.

“For many service industries such as restaurants, retail or hospitality, profit margins can be as low as 3%,” Harmsworth said in a blog post. “Increasing minimum wage mandates wipe out that profit and can put a business into negative fiscal territory.”

In turn, businesses could choose to relocate, displacing employees.

Last year, 82% of voters in the City of Tukwila favored a $19 minimum hourly wage. The City of Seattle is set to increase its minimum wage to $19.97 an hour on Jan. 1, 2024.

Community members in Renton worked to place a ballot measure that would increase its minimum wage from $15.74 to $18.99 for employers with more than 500 employees. However, the proposal failed to make the King County 2024 ballot.

- Advertisement -

Bellingham voters will have to choose to approve or reject the minimum wage increase by election day on Nov. 7.

Hot this week

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

Entertainment district benefits don’t outweigh the cost, economists say

(The Center Square) — Weeks later, after more details...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s energy mandate

(The Center Square) – The inauguration of President Donald...

Kidwell pushes for North Carolina to be 30th with constitutional carry

(The Center Square) – Gun owners could carry weapons...

Shreveport’s Hispanic community expresses fear over immigration crackdown

(The Center Square) − Shreveport’s Hispanic residents are voicing...

Illinois quick hits: Chicago mayor to testify about sanctuary status

Chicago mayor to testify about sanctuary status ...

Petersen files paperwork to run in Arizona attorney general race

(The Center Square) - Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen...

House passes bill blocking future presidential bans on hydraulic fracking

(The Center Square) – A bill preventing future presidents...

Many medical providers end transgender youth procedures after Trump order

Late last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive...

Controversial initiative bill gets mixed testimony

(The Center Square) – A Washington state bill that...

More like this
Related

Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s energy mandate

(The Center Square) – The inauguration of President Donald...

Kidwell pushes for North Carolina to be 30th with constitutional carry

(The Center Square) – Gun owners could carry weapons...

Shreveport’s Hispanic community expresses fear over immigration crackdown

(The Center Square) − Shreveport’s Hispanic residents are voicing...

Illinois quick hits: Chicago mayor to testify about sanctuary status

Chicago mayor to testify about sanctuary status ...