Ballot Proposal: Don't speak too soon Mr. Kilar...

I spoke to Alan Kilar at the Peace Rally on Sunday. He mentioned how the state legislature raising the minimum wage was a "brilliant move", but, was it?

This is from MichiganLiberal's wizardkitten:

The bill doesn't say anything about "hikes." It just says the proposal establishes the rate. It also does not say that the bill's rate shall be null and void if the proposal passes.

Here is the specific language on the bill-

Notwithstanding subsection (1), if a ballot proposal that establishes a minimum wage is approved by the majority of electors voting on the question at the general election on November 7, 2006, the minimum wage shall be as established in the ballot proposal.

Here is the petition language in the ballot proposal-

THE STATE OR ITS POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS MAY ESTABLISH A MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE RATE OR RATES THAT EXCEEDS, BUT IS NOT LESS THAN, THE MINIMUM HOURLY WAGE RATES PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION (INCLUDING ANNUAL ADJUSTMENTS).

So, according to wizardkitten, (and Mark Brewer and unions) the proposal doesn't set the rate, just the floor. So by voting for the proposal, we will just enshrine in the constitution the parts we want (inflation increases, etc.) and not drop the minimum wage.

So the Rethugs in the legislature tried to get cute, and once again, their incompetence made them fail.

Wizardkitten you make me purrrr...