Three Mo. minimum wage petitions approved for 2016 ballot

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander approved three initiative petitions to raise the minimum wage for the 2016 ballot.

Each calls for an initial increase of the state’s minimum wage to $9 from its current $7.65 per hour, but they differ in key ways, according to a news release from Kander’s office.

2016-045
Initiative petition 2016-045 calls for an initial bump to $9 per hour with a $1 per hour increase each year until 2023, when it would be $15 per hour. Starting in 2024, the minimum would be adjusted each January based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.

The petition also calls for:

• the minimum wage to be at least equal to the federal level;
• an increase in the employer portion of tipped employee wages to 60 percent of minimum from 50 percent; and
• increasing the penalty for employers who pay less than minimum.

Petitioners estimate state and local government expenses related to the proposal would be $397 million annually. However, tax revenue could increase by $489 million annually, depending on employer decisions, according to the release.

2016-046
This petition would ask voters to approve an increase to $9 with a $1 per hour increase until 2020, when it would be $12 per hour.

Starting in 2021, the minimum would change based on the CPI, and the petition also calls for meeting the federal level, increasing the employer portion of tipped employees and boosting the penalty for employers.

Under the petition, expenses of $125 million annually could be offset by tax revenue of $249 million a year, according to the release.

2016-047
The petitioners behind 2016-047 want the minimum wage to rise to $9 per hour with a $1 increase each year until 2019, when it would be $11 per hour.

It calls for CPI changes starting in 2020 and similar portions related to the federal level, employer portion of tipped employees and employer penalties.

According to the release, $73 million in expenses would be offset by $189 million in tax revenue per year.

The petitions head to the November 2016 ballot.