Lynnwood Could Raise the Minimum Wage—Speak Up Before the Council Decides

The City of Lynnwood will be considering a potential increase to the city’s minimum wage (currently $17.13) in an effort led by progressive Councilmember Isabel Mata.

Previously, former City Councilmember Josh Binda led an effort to place a citizen initiative on the ballot for voter consideration. This effort failed as there were not enough signatures collected to qualify for the ballot.

Now, the City Council plans to gather community input on a minimum wage increase before potentially taking action with a local ordinance. It is unclear what the new minimum wage proposal would look like, but based on recent City Council discussions it appears that there is interest in mirroring the City of Everett’s recently enacted minimum wage law. The Everett law included phasing in the effective date depending on business size (with businesses having less than 15 employees being exempted entirely.) A roundtable discussion at the Lynnwood City Council is being planned to discuss this proposal following Labor Day. The City Council has the ability to implement this new law councilmanically, without sending it to the ballot for a vote of the people.

While proposals to increase the minimum wage may be well-intentioned, their effects inevitably harm consumers, businesses, and even workers. The Washington Policy Center has cited reports from a University of Washington study of Seattle’s minimum wage, which showed that after the minimum wage increase hourly workers had their hours reduced, resulting in lower total earnings for many workers.

Contact Lynnwood City Councilmembers now to voice your concerns with an increased minimum wage by emailing CityCouncil@LynnwoodWA.gov

Council Position 1 – Derica Escamilla
Council Position 2 – Isabel Mata
Council Position 3 – Bryce Owings
Council Position 4 – Nick Coelho
Council Position 5 – Robert Leutwyler
Council Position 6 – Chelsea Wright
Council Position 7 – David Parshall