Vote "No" on Question A. Please Do Not Support “An Act to Increase the Minimum Wage in Portland.”

The childcare industry in all settings, centers and family childcare, have already been significantly impacted by the pandemic with many programs reducing their capacity, closing classrooms and/or their doors. Our staffing costs due to COVID-19 protocols have already increased significantly, as have our other operating costs. This referendum, if passed, would be the final straw that could put many of us out of business, especially at a time when we are recognized as being essential.

The major problem with this referendum is that because we are in a declared emergency due to the pandemic, we would have to pay our staff 1.5 times the new minimum wage. Any increase in wages comes directly out of our parents’ pockets and parents are already struggling to pay for childcare and could not weather an increase as significant as this referendum would force us to charge.

We are the workforce behind the workforce, and the ripple effect of this referendum will negatively hurt the Greater Portland economy.

Please vote "NO" on Question A.