Colorado $12 Minimum Wage, Amendment 70 (2016)
Colorado Amendment 70 | |
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Election date November 8, 2016 | |
Topic Minimum wage | |
Status Approved | |
Type Constitutional amendment | Origin Citizens |
2016 measures |
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November 8 |
Amendment T |
Amendment U |
Amendment 69 |
Amendment 70 |
Amendment 71 |
Amendment 72 |
Proposition 106 |
Proposition 107 |
Proposition 108 |
Polls |
Voter guides |
Campaign finance |
Signature costs |
The Colorado $12 Minimum Wage Amendment, also known as Amendment 70, was on the November 8, 2016, ballot in Colorado as an initiated constitutional amendment. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported raising the minimum wage from $8.31 to $9.30 per hour in 2017 and then increase it 90 cents each year until the wage reaches $12.00 in 2020. |
A "no" vote opposed this amendment to raise the minimum wage, thereby keeping the state minimum wage at $8.31 per hour. |
In November 2016, voters in Arizona and Maine also voted on measures to increase their state minimum wages to $12. In Washington, citizens voted on an initiative to increase the minimum wage to $13.50. All three measures were approved.
Election results
Amendment 70 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
Yes | 1,517,903 | 55.36% | ||
No | 1,224,189 | 44.64% |
- Election results from Colorado Secretary of State
Overview
Minimum wage in Colorado
Colorado's minimum wage was $8.31 per hour in 2016. The federal minimum wage was $7.25. Prior to Amendment 70 in 2016, Colorado voters saw the minimum wage topic on the statewide ballot once. Initiative 42 in 2006 increased the minimum wage to $6.85 per hour and provided for it to be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The amendment also prohibited more than $3.02 per hour in tip income from being used to offset that minimum wage.[1]
Initiative design
Amendment 70 increased the minimum wage to $9.30 in 2017, $10.20 in 2018, $11.10 in 2019, and $12.00 in 2020. After 2020, annual adjustments were made to account for increases in the cost of living. For employees who regularly receive tips to supplement a base hourly wage, no more than $3.02 in tip income may be used to offset the minimum wage.[2]
State of the ballot measure campaigns
Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, the campaign that supported the initiative, outraised opponents three-to-one. As of December 13, 2016, supporters received $5.41 million, while Keep Colorado Working, the opposition campaign, received $1.73 million. The top donor to the “Yes” campaign was the Center for Popular Democracy Action Fund, which contributed $1,050,000. The top donor to the “No” campaign was the Workforce Fairness Institute, which contributed $850,000. Polls indicated that about 56 percent of voters supported Amendment 70. Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) supported the measure.
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title was as follows:[2]
“ | Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado constitution increasing the minimum wage to $9.30 per hour with annual increases of $0.90 each January 1 until it reaches $12 per hour effective January 2020, and annually adjusting it thereafter for cost-of-living increases?[3] | ” |
Ballot summary
The ballot summary was as follows:[4]
What is the minimum wage? The minimum wage is the lowest wage that can be paid to most workers. The federal minimum wage is currently set at $7.25 per hour for most workers and $2.13 per hour for workers who receive tips. It was last increased in 2009. Federal law allows states and cities to set a higher minimum wage than the federal government. What is Colorado's current minimum wage law? In 2006, Colorado voters adopted an amendment to the state constitution that raised the minimum wage to $6.85 per hour on January 1, 2007, and required that the minimum wage be adjusted each year up or down for changes in inflation, as measured by the Colorado consumer price index (CPI). The CPI is a common measure for changes in the prices of goods and services, such as food, housing, gasoline, and medical care. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment sets the state's minimum wage each January. It is currently set at $8.31 per hour for most workers. Colorado law does not allow cities to set a higher minimum wage than the state. The 2006 amendment also set the minimum wage for tipped workers at $3.02 less than the state minimum wage. The minimum wage for tipped workers is currently $5.29 per hour plus tips. Some tipped workers, such as servers and bartenders, may earn enough in tips to bring their hourly earnings above the state minimum wage, while some may not earn enough in tips to reach it. When tipped workers do not earn enough, employers must supplement their wages to ensure that they receive at least the state minimum wage. The occupations of workers most likely to be paid minimum wage include retail salespeople, food service workers, child care workers, janitors, and home health aides. How does Amendment 70 change state law? Amendment 70 increases the state minimum wage to $9.30 per hour on January 1, 2017, after which it increases annually by $0.90 per hour until it reaches $12.00 per hour in 2020. Because the minimum wage for tipped workers remains at $3.02 less than the state minimum wage, Amendment 70 increases the tipped minimum wage to $8.98 per hour plus tips by 2020. Beginning in 2021, the minimum wage is adjusted annually for increases in the CPI. Although Amendment 70 and current law both use the CPI to adjust the minimum wage, Amendment 70 prevents a decrease in the minimum wage if the cost of living falls. |
Constitutional changes
If approved by voters, Amendment 70 amended Section 15 of Article XVIII of the Colorado Constitution. The following underlined text was added and struck-through text was deleted:
Section 15. State minimum wage rate. Effective January 1, 20 |
Fiscal impact statement
- See also: Fiscal impact statement
The fiscal impact statement was as follows:[4]
“ | State government spending. Amendment 70 will affect costs for several state government agencies. Any state agency that pays an employee an hourly wage less than that required by Amendment 70 will experience an incremental increase in staffing costs if Amendment 70 passes. The actual increase in state costs for each of these agencies will depend on how the agencies, universities, and the legislature manage the increase. Their options may include increasing state funding, increasing fees, raising prices, reducing workers' hours, or some combination of these choices.
Local government impact. The fiscal impact of the measure on local governments has not been estimated. Costs will increase for any local governments that currently pay workers at or near the minimum wage.[3] |
” |
Support
Colorado Families for a Fair Wage led the campaign in support of Amendment 70.[5]
Supporters
Officials
- Gov. John Hickenlooper (D)[6]
- U.S. Secretary of Labor Tom Perez[7]
- Jill Stein, 2016 Green presidential candidate[8]
- Sen. Leroy Garcia, Jr. (D-3)[9]
- Rep. Daneya Esgar (D-46)
- Boulder City Council[10]
Former officials
- Rep. Don Marostica (R-51)[11]
Organizations
- 9to5 Colorado[12]
- Bell Policy Center
- Boulder Chamber[13]
- Business for a Fair Minimum Wage
- Colorado Center on Law and Policy
- Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
- Colorado Coalition for Medically Underserved
- Colorado Education Association
- Colorado Fiscal Institute
- Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
- Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights
- Colorado People’s Alliance
- Colorado WINS
- Community Language Cooperative
- Denver Food Rescue
- Enterprise Colorado
- Focus Points
- FRESC: Good Jobs, Strong Communities
- Generation Latino
- Growing Home
- Growing Partners of Southwest Colorado
- Interfaith Alliance
- Jobs with Justice
- La Plata County Thrive!
- League of Women Voters of Colorado[14]
- Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-Colorado
- Manna Soup Kitchen
- Metro Caring
- Mi Familia Vota Colorado
- NAACP – Aurora
- NAACP – Denver
- NARAL Pro-Choice America
- New Era Colorado Foundation
- One Colorado
- Padres & Jóvenes Unidos
- ProgressNow Colorado
- Sierra Club – Rocky Mountain Chapter
- Together Colorado
- Unite Colorado Springs
- Western Colorado Congress
- Women’s Lobby of Colorado
- Young Invincibles
Unions
- American Federation of Teachers, Colorado[12]
- Colorado AFL-CIO
- Denver Area Labor Federation
- Service Employees International Union Colorado
- UNITE HERE Local 23
Arguments
Colorado Families for a Fair Wage answered the question "Why should we raise Colorado's minimum wage?" with:[15]
“ | The minimum wage has not kept pace with the cost of living.
The minimum wage was created to help keep working families out of poverty, but the current wage of $8.31 hasn't kept up with the cost of living. In fact, the actual cost of living in Colorado has been rising faster than what is indicated by the Consumer Price Index, the official measure of inflation. Full-time minimum wage workers only make about $17,000 a year. That's less than $300 per week after taxes. That is not enough for a person, let alone a family, to pay rent, bills and put food on the table. In most parts of the state, even a single adult working a minimum wage job would fall short of the income needed to meet their basic needs, according to the Self-Sufficiency Standard for Colorado. Colorado's minimum wage falls so short of the actual cost of living that many full-time workers have to rely on government assistance.[3] |
” |
Colorado economics professors Alexandra Bernasek, Elissa Braunstein, Paula Cole, Daphne Greenwood, Kevin Duncan, Anders Fremstad, Peter Sai-Wing Ho, Michael V. Martin, Tracy Mott, Anita Alves Pena, Chiara Piovani, Martin Shields, Steven Shulman, Chris Stiffler, Jack Strauss, Daniele Tavani, Robert Urquhart, Ramaa Vasudevan, Sarah Wilhelm, and Yavuz Yasar co-signed a statement supporting raising the minimum wage and Amendment 70:[16]
“ | The Colorado economy has experienced steady growth in recent years. Real wages, however, for the lowest paid workers in the state have been flat or falling for the last decade. This trend in wages has spurred action across the country to increase the minimum wage and heightened interest in examining the impact of these increases. Scores of studies have been conducted to understand the employment effects of minimum wage increases. Results from the most rigorous studies overwhelmingly suggest that minimum wage increases have little to no negative effect on employment of low wage workers and, in fact, could stimulate consumer demand and economic activity as low wage workers spend their additional earnings.[3] | ” |
Other arguments in support of Amendment 70 included:
- Patty Kupfer, speaking on behalf of Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, said, "All the studies show that when working people have more money in their pockets they spend it. ... They spend it here in Colorado. That creates jobs and helps our communities thrive. It's just about paying more to workers and that's the end of the story."[17]
- Rep. Daneya Esgar (D-46) contended, "Workers who work for a minimum wage are no longer just teenagers or someone with a part-time job. ... Over 85 percent of those who would benefit from this would be over 20 years old and depend on one or more jobs to feed their families."[9]
Official arguments
The official arguments in favor of Amendment 70 as listed in the voter guide were as follows:[4]
“ |
1. Colorado's current minimum wage is too low to provide a basic standard of living for some workers. Full-time workers making the minimum wage in Colorado earn approximately $17,285 annually, or about $300 per week after taxes, and some rely on public assistance to make ends meet. While the minimum wage has increased only 21 percent since 2007 (when the last voter-approved increase in the minimum wage went into effect), prices for basic necessities such as health care and housing have increased more steeply. For example, the overall average rent price in the Denver metro area has increased about 37 percent, from approximately $946 in 2007 to about $1,292 in 2015. 2. Raising the minimum wage may help businesses. Higher wages may improve employee productivity and morale and reduce turnover. This is especially important for businesses that pay the minimum wage, as they tend to have very high turnover. Hiring and training new employees can be very costly for businesses. Lower tumover translates into more experienced, more productive workers and significant cost savings.[3] |
” |
Campaign advertisements
Campaign advertisement videos that were previously displayed here are no longer available.
Opposition
Keep Colorado Working led the campaign in opposition to Amendment 70.[18]
Opponents
Officials
Organizations
- Colorado Restaurant Association[19]
- Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry[20]
- Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
- Farm Bureau, Colorado
- The Colorado Bankers Association
- Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association
- Castle Roch Chamber of Commerce
- Trinidad Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce
- Tavern League of Colorado
- Prosper South Metro Denver Chamber
- Colorado Business Roundtable
- PRO 15
- National Federation of Independent Businesses
- Northwest Douglas County Economic Development Corporation
- Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver
- Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce
- Colorado Women’s Alliance
- Colorado Springs Forward
- Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance
- Common Sense Policy Roundtable
- Colorado Licensed Beverage Association
- Colorado Hotel and Lodging Association
- Colorado Competitive Council
- Colorado Concern
- American Subcontractors Association, Colorado
- Aurora Chamber of Colorado[21]
- Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Colorado
- Club 20
- Greeley Chamber of Commerce
- Douglas County Business Alliance
- Upstate Colorado Economic Development
- Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
Individuals
- Alfredo Ortiz, President and CEO of the Job Creators Network[22]
Arguments
Alfredo Ortiz and Tony Gagliardi, guest columnists for The Gazette, wrote:[22]
“ | A minimum wage increase is a bad move for Colorado. Because hiking the minimum wage makes employees more expensive and therefore less employable, it would actually hurt rather than help. Only about 3 percent of Coloradans earn the minimum wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So raising the minimum wage would do little to help the working poor. And 60 percent of minimum-wage earners fall between the ages of 16 and 24 - when people are just entering the workforce and earning entry-level wages.[3] |
” |
Rep. Clarice Navarro-Ratzlaff (R-47) argued:[9]
“ | Colorado voters need to be really careful what they ask for. This initiative just rings of ‘if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.’ A raise in wages sounds great, and it would be if that were the only thing to happen, however, there is a web of impact that voters should be very conscientious of, including overall job.[3] | ” |
Other arguments against the measure included:
- Tyler Sandberg, speaking on behalf of Keep Colorado Working, said, "We're having a great response from those concerned about the ramifications this will have on small business. ... Study after study show that when you get minimum wage raises that go so far, you have exponential damage."[17]
- Carolyn Livingston, communications director for the Colorado Restaurant Association, stated, "They cannot afford this. ... We polled our members last year and they said they were going to have to reduce hours, reduce employees and might introduce technology."[17]
- Dave Feamster, owner of seven Little Caesar Pizza stores in southern Colorado, contended, "The (food) prices will go up. ... Labor is our second-highest line item, after food."[9]
Official arguments
The official arguments against Amendment 70 as listed in the ballot analysis were as follows:[4]
“ |
1. Increasing the state minimum wage may actually hurt the very employees that the higher wage is meant to help. If Amendment 70 passes, some workers earning the minimum wage may face lay-offs, reduced hours, or fewer benefits. Also, workers seeking minimum wage employment may have a harder time finding work if businesses make fewer minimum wage jobs available. Finally, businesses may choose to raise prices. Because low-wage workers spend a higher percentage of their income on basic necessities like food, they are particularly vulnerable to rising prices. 2. Increasing the state minimum wage may hurt small and family-owned businesses, particularly in rural communities where the cost of living is lower and economic recovery has been slow compared with urban areas. Businesses in rural communities have a harder time absorbing increases in costs and may struggle to pay higher costs if the minimum wage increases, which may further distress the economy in rural Colorado.[3] |
” |
Campaign advertisements
Campaign advertisement videos that were previously displayed here are no longer available.
Campaign finance
Total campaign contributions: | |
Support: | $5,409,354.00 |
Opposition: | $1,733,419.99 |
As of December 13, 2016, the support campaign for this initiative featured one ballot question committee, Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, that received a total of $5,409,354 in contributions. The support campaign spent $4,983,399.[23]
As of December 13, 2016, the opposition campaign for this initiative featured one ballot question committee, Keep Colorado Working, that received a total of $1,733,420 in contributions. The opposition campaign had spent $1,733,307.18.[24]
According to reports through December 13, 2016, the top donor in support of this initiative, the Center for Popular Democracy Action Fund, provided approximately 19 percent of the campaign's total war chest. It contributed $1,053,978.[23] The top donor in opposition to this initiative, the Workforce Fairness Institute, provided approximately 49 percent of the campaign's total war chest. It contributed $850,000.[24]
Support
Cash donations
The following ballot question committee registered to support this initiative as of December 13, 2016. The chart below shows cash donations and expenditures current as of December 13, 2016. For a summary of in-kind donations, click here.[23]
Committee | Amount raised[25] | Amount spent |
---|---|---|
Colorado Families for a Fair Wage | $4,941,290.14 | $4,983,399.23 |
Total | $4,941,290.14 | $4,983,399.23 |
In-kind donations
As of December 13, 2016, the ballot question committee registered to support this initiative received in-kind donations in the amount of $468,063.86. The top in-kind donor, the SEIU Committee on Political Education, provided $276,848.48 of the in-kind donations.[23]
Top donors
As of December 13, 2016, the following were the top five donors in support of this initiative:[23]
Donor | Amount |
---|---|
Center for Popular Democracy Action Fund | $1,053,978.00 |
Fairness Project | $1,011,333.97 |
SEIU C.O.P.E. | $1,001,997.00 |
Civic Participation Action Fund | $700,000.00 |
National Education Association | $630,000.00 |
Opposition
Cash donations
The following ballot question committee registered to oppose this initiative as of December 13, 2016. The chart below shows cash donations and expenditures current as of December 13, 2016. For a summary of in-kind donations, click here.[24]
Committee | Amount raised[26] | Amount spent |
---|---|---|
Keep Colorado Working | $1,733,409.99 | $1,733,307.18 |
Total | $1,733,409.99 | $1,733,307.18 |
In-kind donations
As of December 13, 2016, Keep Colorado Working received $10 worth of in-kind donations.[24]
Top donors
As of December 13, 2016, the following were the top five donors in opposition to this initiative:[24]
Donor | Amount |
---|---|
Workforce Fairness Institute | $850,000.00 |
Hospitality Issue PAC | $372,500.00 |
Colorado Citizens Protecting Our Constitution | $125,000.00 |
National Restaurant Association | $50,000.00 |
Darden | $50,000.00 |
Methodology
To read Ballotpedia's methodology for covering ballot measure campaign finance information, click here.
Media editorials
Support
- Colorado Springs Independent said: "In our view, this is not a sudden, massive increase to $15 as proposed in other states. This makes much more sense, and we agree with those owners of small businesses who embrace the idea that it's better to pay employees even more, thus reducing turnover and the cost (in money and time) of training newcomers."[27]
- The Daily Camera said: "Raising the minimum wage is the tool before us to lift hundreds of thousands of Colorado workers out of poverty. Talk won't get it done. We endorse passage of Amendment 70."[28]
Opposition
- The Aurora Sentinel said: "As vital as minimum wage laws are, they must work for employees and employers by being based on reliable local market forces. Amendment 70 doesn’t do that. Vote no and lobby your lawmaker to create a workable, scalable plan for the state."[29]
- The Coloradoan said: "While our state needs a solution to this problem and the larger one of growing inequality in our economic system, the logical arguments against Amendment 70 prevail for a majority of the Coloradoan Editorial Board. This measure is too broad and does not take into consideration the unique impacts it will have."[30]
- Colorado Springs Gazette said: “The reason minimum wage advocates don't reach for the sky is the fact a lot of nonprofessional jobs cannot produce $20, $30 or more each hour. In fact, lots of good jobs don't produce enough to support $12 an hour. Politicians want the image of raising wages while limiting the ensuing job losses to low-profile entry-level workers.”[31]
- The Denver Post said: "But the proposed Amendment 70 overreaches and would be a mistake for Colorado. We don’t wish to sound hard-hearted in our rejection of the measure and acknowledge the good intentions behind it. But it goes too far in some key ways and we worry that it could actually hurt low-wage earners more than it would help them, especially the young, new workers the law has traditionally served."[32]
- Longmont Times-Call and Loveland Reporter-Herald said: "The legislative route would allow lawmakers the flexibility to deal with different economic factors — and different sections of the state where the economy might not be as robust as it is on the Front Range. A "no" vote is recommended."[33][34]
- The Tribune said: "We don’t see a need for this measure. It would raise the state’s minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020. We’re all for wages rising and workers making more, but we think the state’s existing minimum wage, which is indexed to rise along with inflation is working well."[35]
Polls
- See also: 2016 ballot measure polls
- In late August 2016, Magellan Strategies conducted a poll and found 55 percent of respondents supporting Amendment 70. The partisan divide on the issue was steep, with 83 percent of Democrats, 60 percent of independents, and 24 percent of Republicans supporting Amendment 70.[36]
- Colorado Mesa University, Rocky Mountain PBS, and Franklin & Marshall College released a poll in September 2016 indicating that support for the initiative was around 58 percent.[37]
- Magellan Strategies surveyed 500 likely voters on November 1 and November 2, 2016, and found 54 percent of respondents supporting Amendment 70.[38]
Colorado Amendment 70 (2016) | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Support | Oppose | Undecided | Margin of error | Sample size | ||||||||||||||
Magellan Strategies 11/01/2016 - 11/02/2016 | 54.0% | 43.0% | 3.0% | +/-4.38 | 500 | ||||||||||||||
Colorado Mesa University, Rocky Mountain PBS, and Franklin & Marshal College 9/14/2016 - 9/18/2016 | 58.0% | 36.0% | 7.0% | +/-5.1 | 540 | ||||||||||||||
Magellan Strategies 8/29/2016 - 8/31/2016 | 55.0% | 42.0% | 3.0% | +/-4.4 | 500 | ||||||||||||||
AVERAGES | 55.67% | 40.33% | 4.33% | +/-4.63 | 513.33 | ||||||||||||||
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org. |
Background
Voting on Minimum Wage | |||
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Ballot Measures | |||
By state | |||
By year | |||
Not on ballot | |||
|
The minimum wage debate is as old as the United States Department of Labor, an institution established in 1913.[39] The minimum wage was once debated as an issue of constitutionality. The United States Supreme Court ruled the minimum wage unconstitutional in 1923's Adkins v. Children's Hospital, but later reversed course in their West Coast Hotel v. Parrish decision in 1937.[40]
Minimum wage in Colorado
Prior to the passage of Initiative 42 in 2006, Colorado's minimum wage was equivalent to the federal government's minimum wage. The measure was approved with 53 percent voting "yes" and 47 percent voting "no" to increase the minimum wage to $6.85 per hour. Initiative 42 adjusted the minimum wage annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The initiative led to a decline in Colorado's minimum wage on January 1, 2010, from $7.28 to the federal level of $7.25. Since there was a slight deflation in 2009, the minimum wage in Colorado automatically declined.[41]
2016 minimum wages
Below is a chart detailing the minimum wage in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, in 2016. Washington, D.C., had the highest minimum wage at $10.10 per hour. Georgia and Wyoming both had state minimum wages at $5.15 per hour, which was below the federal minimum wage.[42]
Click "Show" in the State column to expand.
State | 2016 minimum wage | Rank |
---|---|---|
Alabama | $7.25[43] | 31 |
Alaska | $9.75 | 4 |
Arizona | $8.05 | 24 |
Arkansas | $8.00 | 27 |
California | $10.00 | 2 |
Colorado | $8.31 | 18 |
Connecticut | $9.60 | 5 |
Delaware | $8.25 | 19 |
Florida | $8.05 | 24 |
Georgia | $5.15[44] | 50 |
Hawaii | $8.50 | 15 |
Idaho | $7.25 | 31 |
Illinois | $8.25 | 19 |
Indiana | $7.25 | 31 |
Iowa | $7.25 | 31 |
Kansas | $7.25 | 31 |
Kentucky | $7.25 | 31 |
Louisiana[43] | $7.25 | 31 |
Maine | $7.50 | 29 |
Maryland | $8.25 | 21 |
Massachusetts | $10.00 | 2 |
Michigan | $8.50 | 15 |
Minnesota | $9.00 | 10 |
Mississippi[43] | $7.25 | 31 |
Missouri | $7.65 | 28 |
Montana | $8.05 | 24 |
Nebraska | $9.00 | 10 |
Nevada | $8.25 | 21 |
New Hampshire | $7.25 | 31 |
New Jersey | $8.38 | 17 |
New Mexico | $7.50 | 29 |
New York | $9.00 | 10 |
North Carolina | $7.25 | 31 |
North Dakota | $7.25 | 31 |
Ohio | $8.10 | 23 |
Oklahoma | $7.25 | 31 |
Oregon | $9.25 | 9 |
Pennsylvania | $7.25 | 31 |
Rhode Island | $9.60 | 5 |
South Carolina[43] | $7.25 | 31 |
South Dakota | $8.55 | 14 |
Tennessee[43] | $7.25 | 31 |
Texas | $7.25 | 31 |
Utah | $7.25 | 31 |
Vermont | $9.60 | 5 |
Virginia | $7.25 | 31 |
Washington | $9.47 | 8 |
Washington, D.C. | $10.50 | 1 |
West Virginia | $8.75 | 13 |
Wisconsin | $7.25 | 31 |
Wyoming | $5.15[44] | 50 |
This map was current as of December 31, 2016.
Reports and analyses
Common Sense Policy Roundtable
Eric Fruits, President and Chief Economist at Economics International Corp., prepared an analysis of the potential effects of raising the minimum wage for Common Sense Policy Roundtable, an opponent of Amendment 70. The report's executive summary stated:[45]
“ |
While some employees would undoubtedly benefit from a higher minimum wage, most if not all of these income benefits would be offset by lost wages from reductions in employment and increased underemployment, particularly among young and low-skilled workers. Workers currently having the most difficulty finding jobs today would have even worse prospects if a large increase in the minimum wage went into effect. Consequently, a steep increase in the minimum wage would likely harm those Coloradans who need the most help with employment and income opportunities.[3] |
” |
The full report was available here.
The Women's Foundation of Colorado
In collaboration with the Colorado Women’s College Collaboratory (CWCC) of the University of Denver, the Women's Foundation of Colorado released a report examining who would be impacted by an increase in the state minimum wage to $12 an hour. Jennifer C. Greenfield, Professor of Social Work, and Jack Strauss, Chair of Applied Economics, at the University of Denver worked on the report.[46] Key findings from the report included:[47]
“ | An increase in the minimum wage would have a significant positive impact on Colorado women and families, lifting many working women and their children out of poverty.
Increasing the minimum wage to $12.00 per hour by 2020 will boost earnings and consumer spending in Colorado.
Increasing the minimum wage will contribute to economic growth without significant job losses or increases in consumer prices.
Childcare costs are not expected to increase substantially, especially in parts of the state with higher cost of living, such as Denver and Boulder.
A minimum wage increase would be a net positive for minimum wage earners and the state of Colorado. It would increase earnings, strengthen the economy, and reduce economic inequity in our state.
|
” |
The full report was available here.
Path to the ballot
- The proposed initiative was filed with the Colorado secretary of state's office on March 4, 2016, and the petition format was approved on April 20, 2016.[48]
- Initiative proponents needed to collect 98,492 signatures by August 8, 2016, to land the Amendment 70 on the ballot.[48]
- Supporters submitted over 200,000 signatures on July 25, 2016.[49]
- The Colorado secretary of state's office certified Amendment 70 on August 11, 2016.[48]
Cost of signature collection:
Sponsors of the measure hired FieldWorks, LLC to collect signatures for the petition to qualify this measure for the ballot. A total of $881,263.52 was spent to collect the 98,492 valid signatures required to put this measure before voters, resulting in a total cost per required signature (CPRS) of $8.95.
State profile
Demographic data for Colorado | ||
---|---|---|
Colorado | U.S. | |
Total population: | 5,448,819 | 316,515,021 |
Land area (sq mi): | 103,642 | 3,531,905 |
Race and ethnicity** | ||
White: | 84.2% | 73.6% |
Black/African American: | 4% | 12.6% |
Asian: | 2.9% | 5.1% |
Native American: | 0.9% | 0.8% |
Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
Two or more: | 3.5% | 3% |
Hispanic/Latino: | 21.1% | 17.1% |
Education | ||
High school graduation rate: | 90.7% | 86.7% |
College graduation rate: | 38.1% | 29.8% |
Income | ||
Median household income: | $60,629 | $53,889 |
Persons below poverty level: | 13.5% | 11.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Colorado. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. |
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Colorado
Colorado voted for the Democratic candidate in four out of the six presidential elections between 2000 and 2020.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, four are located in Colorado, accounting for 1.94 percent of the total pivot counties.[50]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Colorado had three Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 1.66 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
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Related measures
Minimum wage measures on the ballot in 2016 | |
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State | Measures |
Arizona | Arizona Minimum Wage and Paid Time Off, Proposition 206 |
South Dakota | South Dakota Decreased Youth Minimum Wage Veto Referendum, Referred Law 20 |
Washington | Washington Minimum Wage Increase, Initiative 1433 |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Colorado $12 Minimum Wage Amendment. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- 2016 ballot measures
- Colorado 2016 ballot measures
- Laws governing the initiative process in Colorado
External links
Support
- Colorado Families for a Fair Wage
- Colorado Families for a Fair Wage Facebook
- Colorado Families for a Fair Wage Twitter
Opposition
Footnotes
- ↑ Colorado State Legislative Council, "Ballot History," accessed February 25, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Colorado Secretary of State, "Results for Proposed Initiative #60," accessed March 28, 2016
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source. Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "quotedisclaimer" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Colorado Secretary of State, "Ballot Measure Information Guide 2016," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, "Homepage," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Public Radio, “Governor Backs Minimum Wage And Tobacco Tax Hikes, Medically Assisted Death,” September 29, 2016
- ↑ Denver Post, "Colorado minimum wage proposal gets support of U.S. Labor Secretary," September 14, 2016
- ↑ Denver Post, "Green Party’s Jill Stein says Colorado leading the way to the future," August 28, 2016
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Chieftain, "Minimum wage question on November ballot," August 11, 2016
- ↑ Daily Camera, “Boulder council supports minimum wage hike, opposes Amendment 71,” September 20, 2016
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Yes on Amendment 70: It’s a modest increase in the minimum wage," October 7, 2016
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, "About Us," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ BizWest, “Boulder Chamber endorses proposed Colorado minimum-wage hike,” September 30, 2016
- ↑ League of Women Voters, "2016 Ballot Initiatives," accessed September 7, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Families for a Fair Wage, "FAQ," accessed October 6, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Times Recorder, "Colorado economists pen letter in support of raising minimum wage," October 4, 2016
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 The Gazette, "Minimum wage amendment will be on Colorado's November ballot - and be focus of heated campaign ads," August 11, 2016
- ↑ Keep Colorado Working, "Homepage," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ Denver Business Journal, "Colorado business groups launch campaign to defeat minimum-wage hike," July 19, 2016
- ↑ Keep Colorado Working, "Coalition," accessed October 5, 2016
- ↑ Chamber takes a stand on November ballot issues," accessed September 7, 2016
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 The Gazette, "Leave the minimum wage alone in Colorado," March 11, 2016>
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 Colorado Secretary of State, "Colorado Families for a Fair Wage," accessed December 13, 2016
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Colorado Secretary of State, "Keep Colorado Working," accessed December 13, 2016
- ↑ Note: The totals listed below do not include in-kind donations, which are detailed in a separate section below.
- ↑ Note: The totals listed below do not include in-kind donations, which are detailed in a separate section below.
- ↑ Colorado Springs Independent, "Busy ballot, tough choices for Colorado voters," October 12, 2016
- ↑ The Daily Camera, "Editorial: Colorado's growing inequality requires action," October 29, 2016
- ↑ The Aurora Sentinel, "Editorial: One-size vital minimum wage can’t fit all of Colorado — vote ‘no’ on Amendment 70," October 12, 2016
- ↑ The Coloradoan, "Editorial: Amendment 70 doesn’t adequately address wage issues," October 26, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Springs Gazette, “Editorial: Governor supports jobs-killing wage mandate,” October 1, 2016
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Vote “no” on Amendment 70: Minimum wage increase goes too far," September 24, 2016
- ↑ Longmont Times-Call, "Editorial: Choose 'yes' to shorten the Colorado ballot," October 1, 2016
- ↑ Loveland Reporter-Herald, “Choose 'yes' to shorten the ballot,” October 1, 2016
- ↑ The Tribune, "Tribune Opinion: We’re opposed to Colorado’s universal health care amendment, other constitutional measures; we support aid in dying, primary changes," October 14, 2016
- ↑ Magellan Strategies, "Colorado Minimum Wage / Amendment 70 Survey Results," September 6, 2016
- ↑ Colorado Mesa University, "Summary of Findings, September 22, 2016
- ↑ Magellan Strategies, "Minimum Wage / Amendment 70 Voter Opinion Survey Nov. 4th," November 4, 2016
- ↑ The Atlantic, "Helpful, Harmful, or Hype? 5 Economists Weigh In on Obama's Minimum-Wage Proposal," February 13, 2013
- ↑ PBS, "Adkins v. Children's Hospital (1923)," accessed August 23, 2014
- ↑ Associated Press, "Colorado's minimum wage becomes 1st in US to drop," December 31, 2009
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislators, "2016 Minimum Wage by State," July 19, 2016
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee do not have a state minimum wage requirement, so the federal wage of $7.25 is applied.
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 Georgia and Wyoming have state minimum wages that are less than the federal minimum wage. When state minimum wage is less than the current federal wage of $7.25, the federal rate supersedes the state wage.
- ↑ Common Sense Policy Roundtable, "Impacts of Increasing Colorado's Minimum Wage," June 4, 2016
- ↑ University of Denver, "DU Studies Impact of Increasing Minimum Wage in Colorado," September 13, 2016
- ↑ Women's Foundation of Colorado, "The Impact of a $12.00 Minimum Wage on Women in Colorado," September 13, 2016
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 Colorado Secretary of State, "2015-2016 Proposed Initiatives," accessed July 7, 2016
- ↑ KJCT8.com, "Initiative looks to increase minimum wage in Colorado, some oppose the idea," July 25, 2016
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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