Board refers $30 minimum-wage initiative for 30-day economic study after heated public comment

County staff verified the minimum-wage initiative petition as sufficient on Aug. 4, reporting 49,370 validated signatures, and outlined three board options: adopt the ordinance, place it on the Nov. 3 ballot, or refer it to county agencies for a study and a report within 30 days.

Public comment lasted more than an hour. Supporters, including organizers with Workers United and 1 Fair Wage, said the measure reflects widespread support — they cited 117,000 collected signatures and described the $30 target as a response to the Bay Area’s high cost of living. Andres Pomer, who said he grew up in the unincorporated area, told the board, “A minimum wage was never a living wage,” and urged the measure be placed on the ballot.

Opponents — represented by family-owned restaurant owners, chambers of commerce and industry associations — urged a measured approach, arguing a large increase could prompt business closures, reduced hours and higher prices. Jason Goldblatt, a restaurant operator, asked the board to commission an independent economic impact study before action: “I urge you to move forward with the economic impact study.”

Board members debated legal and fiscal risks, including possible litigation tied to references in the initiative to Measure C revenue and the interplay with state minimum-wage laws for healthcare workers. Supervisor Nate Miley proposed delaying a voter decision to allow a comprehensive study, while Supervisors Marquez and Fortunato Bass voiced urgency to respect the petitioners and put the measure before voters sooner.

The board first considered motions to place the measure on the November ballot or to refer it for study. A substitute motion to refer the initiative to county agencies for a report and economic analysis passed on a roll-call vote: Marquez No; Tam Yes; Miley Yes; Fortunato Bass No; President Halbert Yes. Staff were directed to prepare the scope — including equity analysis, impacts on small businesses and nonprofits, enforcement costs, interactions with Measure C, and fiscal exposure — and return within 30 days for the board’s review.