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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Three Bills Could Lower State Minimum Wage

This Washington   January 17, 2012 at 1:06 pm Erica C. Barnett

Three bills in the state legislature, all sponsored by Republican Rep. Cary Condotta (R-12) would collectively result in a lower state minimum wage, labor leaders said today.

The first bill would tie increases in the state minimum wage (currently $9.04 an hour) to a little-used measure of inflation (CPI-W, which calculates inflation based on wage increases among clerical workers), as opposed to the current standard, CPI-U, which calculates inflation based on wage increases among all urban workers). The proposed new standard grows more slowly than the existing standard, so annual minimum wage increases would be smaller.

The second proposal would allow employers to pay workers who receive tips wages as low as $7.25 an hour, the current federal minimum. Currently, waiters and other workers who receive tips have to be paid at least minimum wage. Under federal law, the minimum wage for tipped workers is just $2.13 an hour, although many states have laws setting restaurant wages higher, and some require restaurants to pay minimum wage.

The third bill would prohibit the state from increasing the minimum wage in years when the unemployment rate is above 7.5 percent. Washington State’s unemployment rate has been above that level since January 2009; had Condotta’s proposal been in effect at that time, the state minimum would still be $8.55, instead of $9.04.

Although Washington’s is the highest state minimum wage in the nation (overall, 18 states have higher minimum wages than the federal minimum), if the federal minimum had kept up with growth in CPI, it would be $9.16 today, and if it had kept up with average growth in personal income from all sources, it would be $14.41 an hour.


  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    He may as well add a fourth bill called the Fuck You Working Poor People Act Of 2012.

    Wonder how many of his constituents in Wenatchee would appreciate a pay cut, courtesy of Cary Condotta. 

  • http://www.twitter.com/joeszi Joe Szilagyi

    Wow, this guy is just an elected, automated construct designed to raise a stink over ultra-conservative nonsense, and not much else. Look at his bills today:

    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1189&year=2011
    “Eliminating the family leave insurance program.”

    Uh huh.

    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1534&year=2011
    “Concerning credit and debit card transactions.”

    which sounds like it would make recurring automatic debit/CC transactions illegal in Washington–really? Why? This is a staple of lots of business. I don’t have to approve my car insurance bill each month, it just goes through. If I want to stop it, I call the insurance company.

    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1824&year=2011
    “Exempting certain employees in the transportation industry who work in armored vehicles from meal and rest period requirements.”

    Really? Of all the “lets get government out of our lives” nonsense, we’re going to let armored car companies crack down on when their drivers can urinate?

    What does this thing do? Just fling unpassable automated shit against the Legislative wall to guarantee a stream of campaign funds to stay in office so that it can collect a government paycheck to fling more shit, in an endless feedback loop? It’s like the conservative Terminator, only completely ineffective.

    I’m sure Wenatchee is reliably Red, but holy hell. Elect someone looking out for your interests a little.

  • FrequentPoster

    I hope Erica is paid by the hour and not by the fact.

  • Monster

    wow he sure got sand in joe fagliaqi clit. for that good work rep condetta. hey joe not every community shares your view. get out of your ivory tower and off your gay blog and live a little.

  • Local Yokel

    Maybe she’s paid by the comment.  If so, thanks for participating in Be Nice to Erica Day.  Your support means a lot.

  • Nemo

    I could live with the first bill. The other two are self-defeating neocon nonsense. You need to keep up with inflation at least, and if a year as zero or negative infation, no COLA raise.

  • Nemo

    That does not mean one COULD live on it. But lowering wages below minimum when your tips can variy quite a lot is a slap in the face to those who depend upon them to pay their rent.

  • FrequentPoster

    I’m always happy to help the retarded.

  • Mitt Romney

    All you liberal whiners, I’m really getting tired of. Don’t you realize that the Great Recession is hanging on, the recovery is too slow, all because low-wage workers are paid too much?

    If we could only make the poor poorer, then the economy would really take off! Get with the program!

  • Anonymous

    A tax on bottom tier jobs, intended by liberals to keep the uppity poor away from work.  And it works.

  • Jakers

    Why not get rid of our tipping culture by outlawing it and make our employers pay employees what they are worth and stop making me calculate some labor factor onto my bill that is not included in the listed prices of the establishment?

  • fount

    goddamn you are a thoughtless and cruel person whose “contributions” are by and large little more than junior high garbage.

  • Herbert Hoover

    yes, this small gummint thing really worked for me in 1931.

  • FrequentPoster

    Oh bless your smug little heart!

  • rights illusiontopia set free

    yes, nations with higher taxes and higher minimums like canada, germany and france, they did so poorly the last thirty years compared to usa. 

    and lookit the usa history with minimum wage laws 1930 to 1981 — we just declined and declined.

    Then when conservative ideas took hold 1981 to the present, man have we taken off!

    Especially the poor.  Thankfully, the whole rconservative program is designed to help the poor, unlike those libtards with their tax on bottom tier jobs.  Man that FDR really screwed the poor with his tax on their jobs!

  • News Junkie

    You can thank Unions and these types of minimum wage, job-site security, and all pro-employee labor laws for CREATING THE MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

    You can then blame the neo-Republicans (and the Democrats) of the last 30-40 years for doing everything in their power TO ATTACK AND SHRINKEN THE MIDDLE CLASS IN AMERICA. Ronald Reagan and today’s even worse mutated Conservatives share NOTHING with the Republicans who helped shape this Country in the early part of this Century. 

    No amount of petty trolling and insults on here will change that fact, and by the time we realize it fully, it will be too late. Let the paid Conservative trolls on here make a paycheck, but don’t bother responding to them. It feeds them and their tiny little minds & egos & their bloodlust.  

  • Nemo

    Or, keep the minimum wage with inflation, and add an automatic minimum 15% gratituty to the bill, win-win.  Not saying that will go over well with cheapskates, but at higher end establishments, no one protests in other places. In many European countries this is a common practice right down to the street cafe level. 

    Besides, paying people what they are worth rarely happens. Except in reverse if you are a CEO or work in investment banking.

  • DA

    I love how clearly incorrect (and perhaps deliberately misleading) the headline is.  ”Three bills could lower state minimum wage” — umm, two of the bills, by her own explanation, would not lower the state minimum wage.  They would possibly limit the rate at which the minimum wage would increase going forward.  So the highest minimum wage in the country will continue to go up, but maybe a little slower.  The horror!  The other bill might lower the minimum wage for waitstaff, people who, interestingly enough, are taking home much more than minimum wage!  Come on, Erica….