RENTON, Wash. — Renton voters must return ballots by Feb. 13 in a special election that could raise the minimum wage to $20.29 an hour for employees with large businesses and $18.29 for smaller employers. Businesses with fewer than 15 workers would be exempt unless they have an annual gross revenue of over $2 million. The wage would be adjusted for inflation each year.
According to the language on the ballot initiative, the measure would also require covered employers to "distribute additional hours to its part-time workers prior to hiring new employees, contractors, or temporary workers if its existing part-time workers have the skills and experience to perform the work."
The Raise the Wage Renton campaign garnered enough signatures to put the measure to the city council or voters. In December, Renton City Council voted against immediately adopting the measure, instead choosing to put it to residents.
"The voters have the final say," Councilmember Kim-Khánh Văn said. Văn voted to move the measure toward a special election but has endorsed it on her own.
"The affordability of Renton is important- so we don't continually displace our community members," Văn said. "We have community members living paycheck to paycheck and when we look at measures that can help, this is part of that -- making sure our neighbors can afford to live here not just to survive but to thrive."
Councilmember Ryan McIrvin also endorsed the initiative.
"I am very concerned about the impact on small businesses, I really am, and this initiative does have a carveout for our smaller businesses," McIrvin said. "I want to make sure we are making sure we can truly share the wealth- so understanding some of those small businesses are also trying to make ends meet, I think it's important voters are also cognizant of that."
Opponents of passing the measure as is, include the Washington Hospitality Association, which says it feels the process is moving too quickly.
"Normally, when we see these increases, people come together and work together, and there's a longer ramp-up," said WHA President & CEO Anthony Anton. "For all the news and attention to Seattle, they gave us a long ramp-up to make adjustments, to to be ready, to be prepared, to make their plans and adjustments- this is a really solid increase on a fast level and we're concerned."
Anton argues many businesses are still operating on thin margins following the impacts of the pandemic.
"People were already struggling with their profitability and debt load coming out of COVID," Anton said.
Guillermo Zazueta, chair of the initiative, argues costs have outpaced wages.
"Costs have only gone up in those last 20 years; wages have relatively stayed the same and are stagnant," Zazueta said. "We are grateful the state minimum wage provides some cushion but it isn't directly tied to local costs."
You can learn more about voting in the special election here.