Montana Minimum Wage, I-151 (2006)
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The Montana Minimum Wage Initiative, also known as I-151, was on the November 7, 2006 ballot in Montana as an initiated state statute, where it was approved. The measure raised the state minimum wage to the greater of either $6.15 an hour or the federal minimum wage. The measure also added an annual cost-of-living adjustment to the state minimum wage.[1][2]
Election results
| Montana I-151 (2006) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 285,535 | 72.69% | ||
| No | 107,294 | 27.31% | ||
Election results via: Montana Secretary of State
Text of measure
The text of the measure can be read here.
Support
Supporters
The initiative was supported by Raise Montana. They argued that the existing minimum wage rate was insufficient to cover the cost of living and that a raise was "fair," "right" and long overdue. They also argued that over twenty states had already increased their minimum wage with no negative effect on their state's businesses.[3]
Donors
$297,072 was donated to the campaign in favor of a "yes" vote on I-151.
Donors of $10,000 and over were:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| Montana AFL-CIO | $57,000 |
| Montana Education Association/Montana Federation of Teachers | $26,890 |
| Steven Bullock | $17,930 |
| Unite HERE! | $10,000 |
| AFL-CIO | $10,000 |
| American Association for Justice | $10,000 |
Opposition
Opponents
The official argument for the opposition was prepared by Riley Johnson of NFIB/Montana, Brad Griffin of the Montana Retail Association, Webb Brown of the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Merisa Saunders. They called the dollar per hour wage increase a "Trojan Horse that [hid] the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase," claiming the proponents of I-151 had slipped in an annual inflation factor that would "cripple small businesses." They also called the measure "mandated inflation," arguing that "when faced with automatic pay hikes, business owners will be forced to increase prices every year."[3]
Donors
$99,715 was donated to the campaign in favor of a "no" vote on I-151.
Donors of $10,000 and over were:
| Donor | Amount |
|---|---|
| High Plains Pizza | $25,000 |
| National Restaurant Association | $20,000 |
| Wendy's of Montana | $14,000 |
See also
- Montana 2006 ballot measures
- 2006 ballot measures
- List of Montana ballot measures
- History of Initiative & Referendum in Montana
External links
Footnotes
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State of Montana Helena (capital) |
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