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August 24, 2014 (San Diego)—Last week, San Diego’s City Council voted to over-ride the mayor’s veto of a minimum wage increase. That means the increase will take effect, giving raises to low-wage workers throughout the city as well as sick days to all workers citywide.
But some business interests are trying to put a measure on the ballot to overturn the minimum wage ordinance—and they are being accused of deceptive tactics to trick voters into signing petitions to put the measure on the ballot.
City Council President Todd Gloria posted a video on Instagram showing a signature gatherer asking him, "Have you signed the petition so the state can't force the city of San Diego to increase the minimum wage yet?" The state has nothing to do with the city's ordinance.
Raise Up San Diego, a group supporting the raise in the minimum wage, has launched a “Don’t Sign It” campaign warning voters to reject deceptive tactics. Norma Rodriguez with Raise Up San Diego says that although the pro-business group calls itself the San Diego Small Business Coalition, it is actually funded by large corporations and out of town interests, KPBS reports.
Raise Up San Diego plans to send out its own volunteers and paid workers to stand next to signature gathers and make sure voters know the truth.
City Councilwoman Sherri Lightner warned the public not to fall for lies told by signature gatherers, including claims that the petition is to support the minimum wage proposal when actually it would repeal it. She urged, “Don’t sign it.”
Jason Roe, spokesman for the San Diego Small Business Coalition, called Raise Up San Diego's plan a voter-harassment campaign.
The minimum-wage ordinance would raise the minimum wage paid in the city from $9 to $9.75 an hour on Jan. 1 and require employers to provide five earned sick days a year. Wages would increase gradually to $11.50 on Jan. 1, 2017. In 2019, the minimum wage would be tied to inflation.
Opponents of minimum wage have just 30 days to gather 33,866 signatures to trigger a referendum on the increase. If it qualifies for the ballot, the minimum raise increase would not take effect. Instead, it would be postponed until after San Diego’s voters weigh in.
The Don't Sign campaign is asking the public to report paid signature gatherers with misleading petitions by calling or texting 619-930-3300 with their locations and times.
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