Make your voice heard on critical ballot measures to be decided by Everett voters in Nov. 5th General Election
This year’s General Election presents an opportunity for Everett voters to weigh in on three important ballot measures. Ballots will be hitting your mailbox now, and the last day to return your ballot is November 5th.
Initiatives 24-01 & 24-02 are competing proposals which would both establish an increased minimum wage and other labor standards. Both initiatives would raise Everett’s minimum wage up to $20.24/hour for local businesses, which exceeds both Washington State and the City of Seattle’s current minimum wage and would be one of the highest minimum wages in the entire country.
While proposals to increase the minimum wage may be well-intentioned, their effects inevitably harm consumers, businesses, and even workers. The Washington Policy Center recently cited reports from California which showed significant consumer price increases and business closures as a result of unreasonable minimum wage increases. As for workers, minimum wage hikes often lead to reduced hours, loss of benefits, and/or layoffs.
Initiative 24-03 is a proposal which would recognize legally enforceable rights for the Snohomish River Watershed. This initiative is driven by the far-left environmental lobby and would allow for any individual or interest group to bring lawsuits forward for any actions deemed to violate the watershed. However, “violations” are undefined and ambiguous and this opens the door for frivolous lawsuits which would negatively impact property owners and businesses in the area.
BE SURE TO ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION WHEN VOTING ON BALLOT INITIATIVES AS IT CAN SOMETIMES BE CONFUSING WHETHER YOU SHOULD VOTE “YES” OR “NO” BASED ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MEASURE.
IN THIS CASE, WE ARE RECOMMENDING YOU VOTE “NO” ON THE JOB KILLING MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES AND “NO” ON THE SNOHOMISH RIVER WATERSHED PROPOSAL.