Election Day is 29 days from today. Initiative 1433 is leading in the polls, despite plenty of misinformation from newspaper editorial boards and other “experts.” Ballots go out in the mail by October 21st.
3 things to know this week
👍 Winning: A new statewide poll out Friday from KOMO News found Initiative 1433 ahead by 62% - 37% with the minimum wage ballot measure winning just about every demographic group, including white men(!). Candidates who have expressed strong support for Initiative 1433 — Jay Inslee, Patty Murray, and Hillary Clinton — all showed substantial leads as well.
🏘 Too damn high: The Columbian newspaper out of Vancouver, WA recently editorialized against the minimum wage, arguing that $13.50 was going “too far”. Meanwhile, there are only seven apartments for rent in the entire Clark County area which a full-time minimum-wage worker can afford. There’s also a storage unit and a few RV spaces (no RV included).
🤔 Oops! A minimum wage “researcher” told KNKX radio that caution was in order there wasn’t much experience with minimum wage increases more than “50 cents to a dollar”. Except that this very state raised minimum wage by $1.35/hour with a 1998 vote. (And by a similar percentage with a vote ten years before that.) Not to mention SeaTac & Seattle.
2 things to look out for
📬 The opposite of junk mail: We’re less than a month out from Election Day. Ballots will be in the mail by October 21st. The deadline to update your voter registration online is TODAY.
📰 Your name in print: Want a reason to buy the newspaper? Use our guide to submit a letter to the editor about why you support Initiative 1433 and get it printed. (We even have a video training!)
1 thing that’s worth a closer look
📈 The growing wage gap: New research finds that the gap between the wages of black workers and white workers has increased since 1979 — for both higher-wage and lower-wage workers. The growing wage gap between black women and white women is particularly notable, as is the growing gap between black college graduates and white college graduates. Lots more compelling & troubling data in this piece at The American Prospect.
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