[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified Burien resident. It represents the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
Save Burien’s Small Businesses – Vote NO on Initiative Measure 1
I write to ask my fellow Burien residents to vote NO on Initiative Measure 1, to save Burien’s small businesses.
The initiative, which was drafted and is being pushed financially by outside interest groups, seeks to add a second minimum wage law in Burien, without even waiting to see how our already existing minimum wage ordinance works.
In case you didn’t know, last year the Burien City Council passed a minimum wage ordinance that increases the minimum wage in our city significantly over the state minimum wage. This new ordinance became effective January 1, 2025, and is already delivering higher pay to Burien workers. It was the culmination of negotiations between Burien citizens, businesses, and other Burien leaders.
By contrast, the ballot measure was written and is being financed by outside interest groups, and is patterned on the Tukwila ordinance which was drafted for big box stores and Southcenter mall businesses.
But there is at least one key difference — like the new Burien minimum wage ordinance already in place, Tukwila does not apply its ordinance to small employers. But Initiative Measure 1 would apply to Burien’s small businesses, raising their costs immediately and even more dramatically each year for six years, after which it will raise each year by a lesser amount. If it passes, Burien employers with even just one employee will have to pay a rate that is substantially higher than the state minimum wage.
The economy is very tight right now for our local small businesses. The cost of everything needed to do business is higher, and they’ve already had to raise prices to meet the state minimum wage. Adding a substantial increase in labor costs will force many of Burien’s small businesses to close. We know this will happen because it is already happening right now in Seattle! This year all the small restaurants in Seattle were forced to start paying the higher Seattle minimum wage and many of them have announced they are closing their doors for good because they just can’t afford it. (See this news story: https://mynorthwest.com/gee-and-ursula/another-restaurant-closes-after-seattle-minimum-wage-rises-again/4027559). Bad for the owners, but also bad for the employees who are now out of a job. We don’t need that happening in Burien.
Burien’s small businesses are not greedily sitting on piles of cash. They are running on very thin margins. If Initiative Measure 1 passes we will see many of our small Burien businesses close, and Burien residents lose jobs.
Vote NO on Initiative Measure 1.
– Susan Stahlfeld
Burien
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Two yes votes dropped off today.
Whoop Whoop! Two more YES from our house too! #RaiseTheWageBurien!
Thank you!
The following organizations (who represent people living and working in Burien) endorse #RaiseTheWageBurien’s ballot initiative…
VOTE YES to bring a real raise to Burien workers!
ACLU Burien People Power
Aerospace Machinists Union
Alimentando al Pueblo
Burien Arts
Community Visions
Economic Opportunity Institute
Highline Education Association
MLK Labor
NAACP
One Fair Wage
One America
PROTEC 17
Queer Power Alliance
Renton Education Association
Transit Riders Union
UFCW3000 Union
Weed Warriors
The Washington Bus
Washington CAN
Washington Community Alliance
Working Families Party
Working Washington
The Urbanist
Local 8, Hospitality Union of the NW
33rd LD Democrats
34th LD Democrats
https://www.raisethewageburien.org/endorsements (you can add your endorsement at the bottom of the page!)
So what?
If you read the ordinance that the Council passed, it has so many exemptions and carve-outs (all pushed by businesses, with no input from workers) that it’s very likely no-one in this city will actually will get an increase in their wage. I’ve looked and can’t find anyone who tracks full-time-equivalent employees that are only in King County, so there is no way to know who in Burien will get an increase. Then you exclude franchises, and small businesses, and any business not located in the county, and then who is left?
Why is it that the worker always has to be sacrificed on the altar of “business”? Give the poor worker a break, and say YES to Initiative 1.
“Sacrifice” you say. You mean the sacrifices that a business owner endures running a professional and profitable investment that requires mental and physical efforts? Oh, but you think those same mean companies that by existing don’t bring diverse employment opportunities are still the problem?
The challenges of running a business are clearly lost on those who advocate for creating even more hardship and slimmer margins, the minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage. If you expect everyone else to improve your lot in life you are clearly mistaken, just like those who think Burien is the same as Tukwila. Vote NO
The challenges of working and raising a family in Burien is clearly lost on those who advocate for creating even more hardship for working class.
“…the minimum wage was never intended to be a living wage.”
What I hear in that statement is, “Minimum-wage workers are undeserving of earning adequate income for their time.” Also, the “intention of minimum wage” doesn’t matter; what is happening right now, with the current circumstances is what matters. The intentions of the past should not dictate our decisions right now!
I am not saying it isn’t hard to run a business, it absolutely is and requires a lot of grit (I’ve done it myself). However, that is what you signed up for, the responsibility of that business through thick and thin. I would think because you are passionate about what you do. So, commit to the decision you chose. You have built a business and have made it this far, I’m sure you have some impressive skill sets to make it through most situations. But it shouldn’t be at the expense of other working people.
If things feel tight right now for you, imagine what it is like for a minimum-wage laborer. People working minimum-wage jobs, NO MATTER THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES deserve to survive and feed themselves, and their families. Full stop!
If all restaurant wages are raised again and again, it won’t be worth paying exorbitant costs to eat out and pay tips as well. So kiss those tips good-bye!