EVERETT — A minimum wage law for Everett higher than the state standard could be put forward to voters in November, either through
the avenue of a citizen initiative or from a proposal from City Councilwoman Mary Fosse.
A citizen initiative called “Everett Deserves A Raise” recently launched. It’s trying to get enough signatures to make the city ballot.
It seeks a minimum wage of $20.29 per hour at large employers of more than 500 employees and, after 2026, $18.29 per hour for mid-sized employers with more than 15 employees.
Meanwhile, last week Fosse requested a council-driven ballot measure seeking roughly the same.
Fosse and Council President Don Schwab will work with the city attorney to prepare an ordinance for council to decide. Their deadline to make November’s ballot would be Aug. 6.
In February, voters in Renton approved a new minimum wage law. Renton’s law is being treated as the template for Everett’s law and campaign.
Seattle also has a minimum wage law; there it is $19.97 per hour for companies with 501 or more employees, and upwards of $17.25 per hour for smaller companies.
The state’s standard minimum wage is $16.28 per hour. At 40 hours a week, this equals about $650 a week or $33,862 a year in gross pay before taxes and other deductions. At the higher $20.29 per hour, the same amount of time worked equals about $810 a week or $42,203 a year in gross pay.
In other Everett initiatives
The organizers of a “rights of nature” initiative to have the Snohomish River watershed bear legal rights in Everett continue to collect signatures.
They said last week they have one-third of the signatures necessary to file the initiative.
More about the story of the Everett Deserves A Raise campaign is expected to be in next week's Tribune.
