Question A on November’s ballot will empower the City of Portland, and remove Augusta politicians from the Emergency Wage decision.
QUESTION A:
The Official Referendum
Why This Matters:
Currently, the City of Portland’s Emergency Wage provision is triggered by a State Emergency declaration. That means if the State of Maine declares an emergency for something that doesn’t impact our city at all, small businesses still have to increase the minimum wage 1.5 times the normal rate. The impact of this decision where Portland has no input is that many small businesses shut down, and a whole bunch of workers are out of work. Last year, during one of the storm emergencies that caused major damage in other parts of the state, restaurants, daycares, and other businesses couldn’t afford to stay open – even though the storm had no impact on Portland. This impacts not only our small businesses, but workers, and citizens who depend on their services. Businesses that rely on state reimbursements – like daycare centers – were forced to close, and that means parents lost access to critical child care services.
An Act To Amend The City Of Portland’s Emergency Wage Provision
The City Of Portland’s Emergency Wage Provision amends the City’s minimum wage ordinance by limiting the application of the emergency wage provision in the ordinance to periods when the City of Portland has declared a state of emergency. In the current ordinance, the emergency wage provision in the city ordinance is automatically invoked whenever the State of Maine declares a state of emergency, even if employment conditions within the City of Portland are not impacted or altered.
“Question A is a common-sense change that will finally give Portland control over our minimum wage law. It will make sure our workers are protected when emergencies like COVID or destructive weather hit our city, while making sure our businesses – especially our restaurants – can continue to thrive.”
Mayor Mark Dion
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