California REJECTS minimum wage increase bill in latest sign of fed-up residents swinging to the right

California residents voted against a connection to rise the state's minimum wage from $16 to $18 by 2026. 

This marked the archetypal clip the bluish state has rejected a wage increase successful astir 3 decades, different motion the authorities has dilatory leaned toward becoming much conservative.

But it was a adjacent call, arsenic 49 percent of voters said 'yes' to higher wages portion 51 percent changeable it down, according to California's predetermination results. The Associated called the ballot connected Tuesday evening.

Proposition 32 was backed by anti-poverty advocator and businessman Joseph Sanberg - who asserted the combat for amended wage is not implicit conscionable due to the fact that the measure did not pass. 

He told Politico: 'This adjacent effect shows that California workers are acceptable for alteration and won’t backmost down.

'The combat for higher wages and economical dignity for millions of California workers doesn’t extremity here.'

Some experts person pointed to existing wage increases wrong circumstantial California labour unions to explicate wherefore the Proposition 32 did not succeed.

For example, minimum wage successful the fast-food industry is already $20 successful California.

Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom, signed disconnected connected a instrumentality that is gradually expanding wellness attraction workers' pay. Eventually, they volition beryllium making $25 an hour.

Critics of the failed legislation, similar president and CEO of the California Restaurant Association Jot Condie, called the voting result 'historic.'

Condie said voters rallied against a instrumentality that would summation the state's outgo of living.  

'It is important that policymakers perceive the connection being sent by the voters - halt utilizing California consumers arsenic guinea pigs for nationalist argumentation experiments that marque beingness much costly for everyone,' she said, according to Politico. 

California State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business John Kabateck agreed with Condie's sentiment, stating radical 'correctly saw Prop 32 arsenic different broadside connected the ever-shrinking budgets of working-class families.'

Jennifer Barrera, the president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce, said if the measure had passed, it would person apt hiked up taxes and force concern to get escaped of immoderate of their staff.

She told the Associated Press: 'With the system and costs apical of caput for galore voters this election, that connection appears to person resonated.' 

Despite backlash, supporters of the proposition argued it would person helped implicit 2 cardinal workers, including those who are employed by market stores and hotels.

'Proposition 32´s nonaccomplishment to walk is disappointing for each Californians who judge that everyone who works should gain capable to enactment their families,' Kathy Finn, president of the UFCW 770 labour union, told the Associated Press. 

UFCW 770 represents implicit 30,000 laborers crossed assorted sectors.

Politico reported Sanberg spent $10 cardinal to acceptable the inaugural into question backmost successful 2022. 

California's minimum wage has doubled since 2010, erstwhile it was conscionable $8 per hour. 

In 2016, the West Coast authorities became the archetypal successful the state to standardize a $15 hourly rate. The instrumentality was approved by the politician astatine the time, Jerry Brown, who was besides a Democrat.

There are 40 California cities and counties that person established minimum wages supra the statewide rate.

However, respective counties successful the famously wide authorities have been swinging implicit to the right, the caller predetermination revealed.   

The state’s bluest county, San Francisco, registered a seven-point plaything successful favour of Donald Trump compared to the 2020 predetermination - perchance arsenic portion of a broader governmental realignment wrong the state.

After a decennary of 'soft-on-crime' reforms to the transgression justness system, California voters rejected portions of Proposition 47. 

The 2014 instrumentality reduced 5 non-violent, low-level crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. 

Voters overwhelmingly rolled backmost portions of the 2014 instrumentality - with each 58 California counties, successful a uncommon occurrence, agreeing.

That stands successful stark opposition to a decennary ago, erstwhile 58 percent of voters crossed the authorities elected to walk Proposition 47.

Proposition 36, a instrumentality that erased galore of the amendments made by its predecessor, passed with 68.9 percent of the ballot this month, making thefts of $950 oregon little a felony again for offenders with 2 oregon much past theft convictions.