2002 Oregon Ballot Measure 25
{{Short description|Ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage}}
Ballot Measure 25 of 2002 increased Oregon's minimum wage from $6.50 to $6.90 per hour and required an annual increase to compensate for inflation in future years. Inflation is measured by the consumer price index. {{As of|2015}}, the minimum wage in Oregon is $9.25 an hour. The measure was approved in the November 5, 2002 general election with 645,016 votes in favor, 611,658 votes against.[https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Documents/elections/initiative.pdf Itemized Measure Listings, Measure 25 page 17] The measure was placed on the ballot as a result of initiative petition.The measure is codified as enacted at ORS [https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors653.html].
Arguments for and against
Proponents included labor unions, the Oregon Catholic Conference, and other advocates for the poor. They pointed out the difficulty of raising a family on the current minimum wage, and argued that tying the minimum wage to inflation was more fair. Rather than teenage workers, supporters argued that many minimum wage earners were adults supporting children.[https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A76177 Oregon State Library: Voters' Pamphlet: November 5, 2002, Measure 25 - Arguments in Favor]
Opponents feared that a minimum wage increase would prolong the recession Oregon was experiencing at the time, pointed out that Oregon already had a relatively high minimum wage (compared with other U.S. states), and argued that indexing the wage to the consumer price index would unfairly punish rural communities, since the CPI is based on prices in cities.[https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A76177 Oregon State Library: Voters' Pamphlet: November 5, 2002, Measure 25 - Arguments in Opposition]
{{See also|minimum wage}}
Detailed history
The measure was sponsored by future Oregon Commissioner of Labor and Industries Dan Gardner and state Representative Diane Rosenbaum.{{cite news
|last=Sinks
|first=James
|title=Oregon lawmakers turn to initiatives more frequently
|url=http://www.bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051107/NEWS0107/511080302/1001=
|work=The Bend Bulletin
|date=November 7, 2005
|accessdate=2007-05-31}}
In 2003, the Republican-controlled Oregon House of Representatives approved a bill (House Bill 2624) that would repeal the part of Measure 25 that ties the minimum wage to inflation.{{cite news
|last=Esteve
|first=Harry
|title=Minimum wage raise killed in house bill
|work=The Oregonian
|date=April 2, 2003}}
As of April 2003, however, observers did not expect the bill to pass the Oregon State Senate (which was then evenly split between Republicans and Democrats) or be signed by Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski.[http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=476915 Public NewsRoom] The bill was not taken up in the Senate's 2003 session,{{Cite web |url=http://www.leg.state.or.us/cgi-bin/searchMeas.pl |title=Archived copy |access-date=2007-01-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309074711/http://www.leg.state.or.us/cgi-bin/searchMeas.pl |archive-date=2007-03-09 |url-status=dead }} and the Senate is now majority Democrat, suggesting it is unlikely to be taken up in the foreseeable future.
{{update|date=November 2010}}
Results
{{Infobox referendum
| name = Ballot Measure 25
| title = Concerns Raising the Minimum Wage
| country = Oregon
| yes = 645,016
| no = 611,658
| invalid =
| total =
| map =2002 Oregon Initiative Measure 25 results by county.svg
| mapcaption = Results by county
Yes: {{legend0|#B6C8D9|50–60%}} {{legend0|#7D9CBB|60–70%}}
No: {{legend0|#DEDEBD|50–60%}} {{legend0|#BCBC83|60–70%}}
| notes =
}}
{{Referendum
| title = Measure 25 (2002)
| yes = 645,016 | yespct = 51.33
| no = 611,658 | nopct = 48.67
| total = 1,256,674
| turnoutpct = 69.1
| electorate = 1,872,615
| source = Oregon State Elections Division[http://records.sos.state.or.us/ORSOSWebDrawer/Recordpdf/6873550 November 5, 2002, General Election Abstract of Votes - STATE MEASURE NO. 25]
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- [http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:SSJB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=100AEADBC4527280&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated4&req_dat=8CE642B8CA5C4083BE84A2539D6E1A73 Statesman-Journal article], January 1, 2004
External links
- [https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl%3A76177 Oregon State Library: Voters' Pamphlet: November 5, 2002]--includes ballot title, text of the measure, and arguments for and against
{{Oregon legislation}}
Category:Minimum wage law in the United States
Category:2002 Oregon ballot measures