3A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016
Unclear whether lawmakers can stop petitioners’ wage ballot push
Governor’s
alternate plan
calls for raises
starting in 2017
By PARIS ACHEN
Capital Bureau
SALEM — State lawmak-
ers received a sobering mes-
sage Wednesday about their
prospects of striking a legis-
lative deal to hike Oregon’s
minimum wage.
Petitioners for a ballot ini-
tiative to boost the minimum
to $15 statewide by 2019 said
they intend to continue gath-
ering signatures to place their
proposal on the November
ballot unless lawmakers meet
their demands.
Opponents to hiking the
minimum wage indicated
they’re gearing up to thwart
the initiative.
Today, Gov. Kate Brown
announced her plan for a
statewide minimum wage in-
crease.
The proposal calls for a
lawmakers have just two
weeks before the legislative
session starts in February.
Justin
Norton-Kertson,
campaign manager for Orego-
nians for $15, said the group
has collected nearly 40,000
signatures for its ballot ini-
tiative and projects having
50,000 to 60,000 signatures
by early March.
“We are well on track to
have enough signatures col-
lected by July to put this on
the ballot,” Norton-Kertson
said.
“With more than half of
likely voters in Oregon al-
ready polling in favor of $15
and numerous polls conduct-
ed statewide, a statewide $15
minimum wage really is inev-
itable,” he said. “It’s a grass-
roots movement, and it isn’t
just going to go away because
any old deal is struck in the
state Legislature.”
Hearing in Salem
He said the only compro-
tonight
Meanwhile,
lawmakers mises his group would sup-
KDYH UHYHDOHG QR VSHFL¿F port are $15 per hour in the
numbers for a potential deal most expensive parts of the
and none were expected be- state, namely Multnomah,
fore a public hearing Thurs- Clackamas and Washington
day night at the Capitol. The counties, or a repeal of a law
two-tiered minimum wage
that increases gradually over
the next six years, starting in
2017. The plan establishes a
higher minimum wage in the
Portland metropolitan area,
where the economy is grow-
ing faster and has traditionally
been stronger, than in the rest
of the state.
Outside of the Portland
urban growth boundary, the
wage will be raised to $10.25
in 2017 and increase to $13.50
by 2022. Within Portland’s
urban growth boundary, the
wage will be set at 15 percent
above the statewide minimum
wage, increasing to $15.52 by
2022.
After 2022, the minimum
wage will return to the current
rate of increase, in conjunc-
tion with the Consumer Price
Index.
that prevents cities and coun-
ties from increasing minimum
wages above the state limit.
“If one or both of these
can’t be accomplished this
session, then we’ll do every-
thing we can to get the sup-
port needed to put IP 41 on the
ballot and win,” Norton-Kert-
son said.
Betsy Earls of Associated
Oregon Industries, which op-
poses boosting the minimum
wage, advised lawmakers to
spend their time on other is-
sues.
“It sounds like … there
will be at least one ballot mea-
sure going forward no matter
what,” Earls said. “What I
would say to you is we will
KDYHWR¿JKWWKDWEDOORWPHD-
sure probably so we will have
to expend resources regard-
less of what you guys do. I
would advise you to sit tight,
do nothing.”
Negotiating for weeks
Lawmakers, the gov-
ernor’s advisers and other
stakeholders have been ne-
gotiating a minimum wage
deal for weeks behind closed
doors. Democratic leaders
have indicated they want to
pass legislation in February to
head off a battle at the ballot
box in November over two
dueling initiatives to hike the
minimum wage.
One is the $15 proposal.
Another union-backed initia-
tive would raise the minimum
wage to $13.50 statewide and
give cities and counties au-
thority to increase the wage
above that. The petitioners for
that initiative have said from
the outset that they launched
the campaign to spur lawmak-
ers to action this session.
“We’re hoping to come up
with a proposal that makes
the most sense and addresses
the most concerns and also
makes the ballot measures
unnecessary,” said state Sen.
Michael Dembrow, D-Port-
land. “We haven’t yet nailed
down what that would be, the
place between the competing
interests.”
Dembrow had initially
planned to release starting
numbers for his proposal in
advance of Thursday night’s
public hearing at the Capitol.
He said he had second
thoughts about releasing
numbers before the hearing
because he wants to use feed-
back to craft a proposal for the
session, which starts Feb. 1.
“I don’t’ want to come up
with a proposal that is take it
or leave it,” Dembrow said.
“I want to propose some-
thing that has some consensus
around it.”
Dembrow’s
proposal
would set three different re-
gional minimums based on
area median income and cost
of living. The concept is based
on research by North Star
Civic Foundation that found
different minimums would
better suit Oregon’s “uneven
state economy.”
The House Business and
Labor Committee plans to
submit a proposal that is simi-
lar to the initiative to boost the
minimum wage to $13.50 and
give cities and counties au-
thority to raise wages above
that threshold.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
Seaside considers changes to cemetery rules
Amendment
would raise price
per plot to $500
By KATHERINE LACAZE
EO Media Group
SEASIDE — The price
to buy a plot at the Evergreen
Cemetery, managed by the city
of Seaside, may more than dou-
ble to help offset administrative
costs.
The Seaside City Council is
contemplating an amendment
to the city’s ordinance regarding
Evergreen Cemetery regula-
tions. The amendment was read
Monday and seeks to modify
some language and update the
cost for each plot at the ceme-
tery, located off Beerman Creek
south of Seaside.
If the amendment is adopt-
ed at the council’s next meeting
Jan. 25, the city will charge $500
instead of $200 for each plot.
Public Works Director Dale
McDowell said the increase will
help cover costs the city incurs
by managing the cemetery.
“It’s nice that the city looks
over and maintains the property,
but, for however many years it’s
been doing that, it’s cost quite
a bit,” City Councilor Randy
Frank said. “Even with this price
increase, it’s still very reason-
able and will help offset some of
the costs we get.”
At $500, the fee still is less
than those associated with other
cemeteries in Clatsop County,
according to McDowell.
Additionally, if the owner of
a plot decides not to use it, the
plot may be sold back to the city
at 80 percent, rather than 90 per-
cent, of the purchase price, ac-
cording to the amendment.
The proposed language
changes to the ordinance are
minor and simply update what
is an old ordinance, McDowell
said. City Attorney Dan Van
Thiel also suggested language
changes to correct spelling and
grammatical errors.
New gym stations
The City Council also ap-
proved a request from Seaside
High School senior Berkley
Posalski to add three new sta-
tions to the outdoor gym at
Cartwright Park. Posalski de-
signed and installed the three
existing stations at the park,
with guidance from the Public
Works Department, last May
for his Eagle Scout Project. For
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plans to design and add three
more stations. Additionally, the
project will include expanding
the concrete borders of the cur-
rent stations to make the area
around them safer. McDowell
said Parks Advisory Commit-
tee members indicated interest
Crab Feed starts Friday
and those younger than 12, for
fresh Dungeness crab, cole slaw,
WARRENTON — The 27th garlic bread, drink, dessert and
DQQXDO )LVKHUPHQ¶V %HQH¿W all the trimmings. The event is
Fund Crab Feed is 4 to 8 p.m. sponsored by the Fishermen’s
Friday and Saturday at the War- %HQH¿W)XQGDQRQSUR¿WFRUSR-
renton Community Center, 170 ration which maintains an emer-
S.W. Third St. The cost is $15 JHQF\ IXQG WR KHOS ¿VKHUPHQ
for adults, and $13 for seniors and their families.
The Daily Astorian
R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian
Evergreen Cemetery in Seaside.
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outdoor park is being used.
City Councilor Dana Phillips
said she believes the park is
something that is used and she
appreciates Posalski’s “interest
in moving forward with this.”
Plans for former
church building
An ad hoc committee gave
a report on the former church
building purchased by the
city in 2014. The building on
Broadway is centrally located,
with close access to Broadway
Middle School, the Sunset Em-
pire Park & Recreation District,
Broadway Park and the Seaside
Public Library. The committee
is suggesting the council take a
three-phase approach to use the
building for a variety of purpos-
R oasted Chicken
D inner
With Mashed Potatoes,
Veggies, Salad and Bread
ALA Dan
Friday Jan. 15 th
4 pm ‘til gone
$8 .00
6PM “K araok e D ave”
W A NTED
Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber
ASTORIA
AMERICAN LEGION
HV)RUWKH¿UVWSKDVHWKH\VXJ-
gested the city rent out the two
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protect the city’s investment by
generating revenue and keeping
the building in use and moni-
tored.
The council will hold a work
R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian
session at a later date to discuss The entrance to Evergreen Cemetery on Beerman Creek
the site.
Road.
T he fam ily of C harles L eroy Meadow s S r.,
w ould like to thank all our relatives and friends
who gathered with us, or were with us in spirit in
the passing of our beloved husband, father,
grandfather and friend.
S pecial thanks to C olum bia Mem orial Hospital
and O HS U and their com bined m edical teams
for the care and kindness you show ed him . W e
also send our gratitude and appreciation to Hughes R ansom Mortuary.
W e are forever grateful for your support.
For those family and friends who have sent cards, phone calls, food, flowers
and em ails we thank you. R eflections shared will be forever treasured.
P lease accept this as a personal acknow ledgem ent of thanks from us all.
Your thoughtfulness and support continue to give us com fort.
Cla t sop Post 12
N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A
Contact: Steve Axtell • 360-430-0885 or John Anderson • 360-269-2500
1132 Exchange Street 325-5771
a Cappella
SE ASID E
Festival
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JAN UARY 15
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