ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 32

Every Californian who works at least a full-time, 40-hour work week should be able to afford life's basic needs. However, there are about 2 million Californians who are working full time, and more, but earn less than $18 per hour. Most of these Californians who earn less than $18 per hour are heads of their households. Most of these Californians who earn less than $18 per hour have kids.

We can all agree that Californians who work hard, working full time or more, should not live in poverty. But that's exactly how millions of Californians are living because their wages are too low to afford how expensive life has become in California.

In addition, when people who work hard are paid wages that aren't enough to cover life's basic needs, a bigger burden is put on taxpayers to make up the difference that some corporations aren't honoring. It is wrong for all the businesses that do right by their workers that some corporations are allowed to pay Californians such low wages that those workers are left needing taxpayer funded aid. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing some corporations that choose to pay extremely low wages and enabling them to keep the rest as excess profit for their owners.

By raising the minimum wage to $18 per hour, Proposition 32 will bring a much-needed raise to 2 million California workers and create a more prosperous system where big corporations aren't allowed to exploit smaller businesses, our communities, and our hardest working neighbors.

Finally, when more Californians earn a fair wage for their work, our entire economy does better. Working people are better able to afford their rent, provide three meals per day for their kids, and all of that spending boosts the economies of our local communities. That boosted spending creates more jobs in our communities, which makes everyone better off.

It's time that we make California a place that working families can afford. By raising the minimum wage to $18, Proposition 32 will directly better the lives of 2 million Californians who will get a raise and we will stimulate more spending in our communities that most need that boost. That boost will create more jobs and more prosperity for everyone.

VOTE YES ON PROP. 32!

Joe Sanberg, Anti-Poverty Advocate

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF PROPOSITION 32

VOTE NO on PROPOSITION 32!

Ballot measures shouldn't be toys for multimillionaires. ONE PERSON ALONE—A MULTIMILLIONAIRE—IS BEHIND PROP. 32.

One person alone wrote Prop. 32, spent millions getting it on the ballot, and wrote the argument for Prop. 32.

SMALL BUSINESS AND WORKING FAMILY ADVOCATES DON'T WANT PROP. 32

Many of California's leading voices for working families and small businesses didn't even want Prop. 32 on the ballot, but this one author had to have it his way.

Even leading advocates for higher minimum wages urged him to pull Prop. 32 from the ballot. He refused.

One person shouldn't try to dictate labor policy for 39 million Californians, with the only qualification that he's rich. No wonder Prop. 32 is so flawed.

Prop. 32 forces small businesses to INCREASE PRICES, adding to inflation and raising the cost of living in California even more. That hurts working families!

Prop. 32 raises costs for state and local governments by BILLIONS, meaning they'll cut vital services and raise taxes.

Prop. 32 COSTS JOBS, with the greatest impact on teens and people of color who are trying to get a career started with entry level jobs. That's why leaders across California who previously supported minimum wage increases have changed course and asked for them to be slowed down.

And Prop. 32 worsens California's increasingly complex patchwork of minimum wage laws, confusing both workers and small business owners.

Prop. 32 seems to be an ego project, not a real solution for working Californians.

Get the facts at StopProp32.com.

VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 32!

Jot Condie, President

California Restaurant Association

Jennifer Barrera, President

California Chamber of Commerce

Ron Fong, President

California Grocers Association

ARGUMENT AGAINST PROPOSITION 32

VOTE NO on PROPOSITION 32.

PROPOSITION 32 INCREASES YOUR PERSONAL COSTS; MAKES CALIFORNIA'S HUGE BUDGET DEFICIT WORSE; PUNISHES SMALL BUSINESSES; COSTS JOBS; AND HURTS THE VERY WORKERS IT'S SUPPOSED TO HELP. PROPOSITION 32 MAKES OUR BUDGET DEFICIT WORSE BY BILLIONS EACH YEAR AND JEOPARDIZES FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND EDUCATION

California just experienced a $50 billion budget deficit. Many cities and counties face huge deficits as well. The independent fiscal analysis of Prop. 32 in this same ballot pamphlet says a minimum wage increase will likely cost state and local governments billions of dollars EACH YEAR.

That means two things. You paying higher taxes to make up the difference and cuts to important programs like K–12 education, public safety, healthcare, and getting homeless people off the streets.

PROPOSITION 32 INCREASES PRICES FOR CALIFORNIANS WHEN WE CAN LEAST AFFORD IT

The cost of living in California is too high. Prices are up more than 20% in the last three years for food, gas, utilities, healthcare, and clothing. Proposition 32 makes it even worse as it will increase costs on family-owned businesses who can least afford it and force small employers to increase prices for consumers to absorb the higher minimum wage. Looking at the new California fast-food minimum wage law, fast-food prices in California have gone up 7% in six months, the fastest in the nation. Some well-known “value meals” now cost over 40% more in California than the rest of the country.

Prop. 32 brings these record-setting price increases to small restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores, small retail shops, farmers, and more, so we're going to see the same sticker shock everywhere.

PROPOSITION 32 WILL HURT SMALL, FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESSES

Proposition 32 imposes the same high minimum wage on small businesses as it does for large corporations. Small businesses are more vulnerable to the impact of this higher cost and could force these family-owned businesses in our neighborhoods and communities to shut down.

PROPOSITION 32 COSTS JOBS

Raising the minimum wage again sounds like something that would help workers struggling to make ends meet. Who doesn't want workers to get paid more? It makes us feel good if we think we're helping our fellow Californians out.

But the reality has now been confirmed, raising the minimum wage, especially when we raise it TOO FAST, costs thousands of jobs, and when a worker loses a job, or the company goes out of business, the wage is ZERO DOLLARS PER HOUR. And this job loss especially impacts our vulnerable populations the most, with young African- American, Latino, and non-college educated workers trying to find their first jobs facing the biggest burdens. Get the facts at StopProp32.com, and vote NO ON PROPOSITION 32!

Jot Condie, President

California Restaurant Association

Jennifer Barrera, President

California Chamber of Commerce

Ron Fong, President

California Grocers Association

REBUTTAL TO ARGUMENT AGAINST
PROPOSITION 32

YES on PROPOSITION 32 means a RAISE for SERVICE, ESSENTIAL, AND OTHER WORKERS to help them afford life's basic needs.

YES ON PROPOSITION 32 means a RAISE for SINGLE MOMS to help them afford life's basic needs.

YES ON PROPOSITION 32 means CLOSING THE GENDER PAY GAP for over a million working women.

The goods and services you buy have become more expensive because CORPORATIONS ARE MAKING RECORD PROFITS! CORPORATE PROFIT MARGINS HAVE INCREASED 100% since the year 2000. The STOCK MARKET has repeatedly made ALL-TIME HIGHS this year. CORPORATE LOBBYISTS who will MAKE MORE MONEY BY KEEPING WAGES LOW are trying to convince you that raising the minimum wage will increase the cost of living, but that's false. Record corporate profit margins are what has increased the cost of living. Now, we have to RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE TO HELP SERVICE WORKERS, ESSENTIAL WORKERS, SINGLE MOMS, and other WORKING CALIFORNIANS to be able to AFFORD LIFE'S BASIC NEEDS.

YES on PROP. 32!

Learn more at: livingwageact.com

Ada F. Briceño, Co-President

UNITE HERE Local 11

Nanette Barragán, Congresswoman

U.S. House of Representatives, California 44th District

Saru Jayaraman, President

One Fair Wage