Oregon Ballot Measure 25 (2002)

Ballot Measure 25 of 2002 increased Oregon's minimum wage from $6.50 to $6.90 per hour and required an annual increase to compensate for inflation in future years. Inflation is measured by the consumer price index. The measure was approved in the November 5, 2002 general election with 645,016 votes in favor, 611,658 votes against.[1] (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov52002/g02abstract.htm) The measure was placed on the ballot as a result of initative petition.

Proponents included labor unions, the Oregon Catholic Conference, and other advocates for the poor. They pointed out the difficulty of raising a family on the current minimum wage, and argued that tying the minimum wage to inflation was more fair. Rather than teenage workers, supporters argued that many minimum wage earners were adults supporting children.[2] (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov52002/guide/measures/m25fav.htm)

Opponents feared that a minumum wage increase would prolong the recession Oregon was experiencing at the time, pointed out that Oregon already had a relatively high minimum wage (compared with other U.S. states), and argued that indexing the wage to the consumer price index would unfairly punish rural communities, since the CPI is based on prices in cities.[3] (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov52002/guide/measures/m25opp.htm)

(See article on minimum wage for more on the arguments for and against minimum wage increases.)

In 2003, the Republican-controlled Oregon House of Representatives approved a bill that would repeal the part of Measure 25 that ties the minimum wage to inflation. However, as of this writing, most observers do not expect this bill to pass the Oregon Senate (which is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats) or be signed by Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski.[4] (http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/opb/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=476915)

See also: List of Oregon ballot measures

External links Oregon Voter's Guide page for Measure 25 (http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/nov52002/guide/measures/m25.htm)--includes ballot title[?], text of the measure, and arguments for and against