Petitions circulating for pair of Bellingham ballot measures on pay and rent
A Bellingham social justice organization has a new name and is aiming to get a pair of local ordinances enacted by ballot initiative.
Community First Whatcom began circulating petitions last weekend for the proposed measures, which would raise the minimum wage and offer protections against the immediate effects of rent gouging, said campaign manager Jace Cotton.
▪ Measure 1 would set the minimum wage in Bellingham at $1 above the state minimum wage on May 1, 2024, and would increase to $2 above the state minimum wage on May 1, 2025, according to ballot language at the group’s website.
If approved, it would become law 60 days after passage.
Washington state’s minimum wage is $15.74 an hour.
In addition, the measure would prohibit retaliation against employees, allow employees to sue for damages, allow the city to monitor compliance, and sets fines for violations of the ordinance.
It would not affect the pay of city workers, because city codes prevent that.
▪ Measure 2 would require 120-day notice before raising rent by 8% or more a month, and require landlords to pay relocation assistance equal to three times the monthly rent if such an increase is made.
About 56% percent of Bellingham residents are renters, and Cotton said the measure has broad approval among tenants and some landlords.
“The conversations Sunday (March 26) that led to 450 signatures confirmed for us show how much people want solutions,” Cotton told The Bellingham Herald in an email
“I have really been encouraged by the breadth of support that we’ve received from small landlords, “ he said in an interview.
Community First Whatcom has until June 30 to gather 3,093 valid signatures of active registered voters living within the Bellingham city limits, said Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick.
Cotton said the group is aiming for 4,500 signatures for each measure, and they will be canvassing neighborhoods and gathering signatures at events such as the Bellingham Farmers Market.
Formerly called People First Bellingham, the group put four measures before Bellingham voters in November 2021. and two of the measures passed.
One outlaws the use of police facial recognition technology and predictive policing and the other requires neutrality on labor issues from city contractors.
This story was originally published March 28, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
