Tim Eyman seeks to overturn $15 minimum wage laws

SEATTLE -- There’s a new challenge to Seattle’s historic $15 minimum wage law.  Initiative guru Tim Eyman now has his sights set on overturning the city’s recently adopted law.

Eyman is collecting signatures for a measure to prohibit cities from raising the minimum wage above the state’s level, which is currently $9.32 an hour.  That would effectively gut both Seattle and SeaTac’s recent hikes.

Seattlepi.com reports that Eyman has met with key business leaders and groups to solicit at least $1 million to run the initiative effort.  His goal is to put the idea before voters in November 2015.



Earlier this year, state Sen. John Braun, R-Centralia, introduced a proposal like Eyman’s in the Legislature, but couldn’t muster the votes.

“Think about all the city limits you cross as you drive through the Puget Sound region and all the different minimum wages you could have in all those places and how you would process payroll,” Braun said.  “That gets really hard really quick.”

State Sen. Sharon Nelson, D-Seattle, argued that local jurisdictions should have the final say.

“If we have a city, like Seattle, that is saying, we need a $15 minimum wage, or SeaTac, then that should be their option,” Nelson said.  “Seattle has the highest cost of living. You can’t have a low minimum wage in that city and have people living, making a living wage.”