Lynnwood advocates launch campaign for higher minimum wage

LYNNWOOD — Advocates launched an initiative to raise the city of Lynnwood’s minimum wage at a press conference on Monday.

Currently, Lynnwood matches the state’s minimum wage of $16.66 per hour, and the group wants to raise it to $20.24 per hour.

“I am proud to announce an initiative that embodies our collective desire for change, a change that’s not just necessary, but is long overdue,” Lynnwood City Council Vice President Josh Binda said at the press conference.

Binda is the chair of Fair Pay Lynnwood, a committee recently started to advocate for a higher minimum wage. The group filed with the Public Disclosure Commission on Thursday, according to commission records. The group’s treasurer is Mpiima Mugambe, who is running for City Council against incumbent Robert Leutwyler.

The group needs to secure about 3,400 signatures, or 15% of the number of Lynnwood’s registered voters as of Nov. 5, 2024. Then, the initiative will either go to the City Council for approval or be placed on the next ballot, likely February 2026, Binda said.

A single person without kids would need to make $30.25 per hour to afford the cost of living in Snohomish County, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator.

Katie Wilson, executive director of the Transit Riders Union and Seattle mayoral candidate, spoke at Monday’s press conference. She was the campaign coordinator for similar initiatives in Tukwila and Burien.

“It is so exciting here to be here today, at this launch of an effort here in Lynnwood, to do the same thing, to make sure that workers here in this community, residents here in this community, can enjoy a good quality of life and have good jobs to support their families,” she said.

If passed, the initiative would affect businesses with 15 or more employees or those grossing more than $2 million per year. Employers with 500 or more employees would be required to pay the new wage beginning July 1, 2026. Others would phase in the new wage over three years.

The initiative is similar to one passed in Everett last year, which also raised the minimum wage to $20.24 per hour. The measure passed with 59% of the vote.

“Minimum wage isn’t just a talking point for me or people my age,” said Jacob Feleke, a recent graduate from the University of Washington, where he served as student body president. “It determines if we can pay rent, whether the grocery bill makes sense, or whether we are just crossing our fingers, hoping that our gas tank makes it into payday. That’s why this initiative here is such an important step.”

The initiative includes additional protections for workers, Binda said, including offering employees additional hours and prohibiting retaliation.

“I believe our initiative to raise the minimum wage in Lynnwood is not merely a workers-driven effort for fair compensation,” Binda said. “It is a vital safeguard for our workers.”

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.