DC Council heated over plan to restructure Initiative 82

DC Council heated over plan to restructure Initiative 82

A proposal to repeal D.C.?s tipped minimum wage law was blocked Monday in a tense Council meeting, derailing Mayor Muriel Bowser?s push to roll back Initiative 82.

WASHINGTON - A proposal to repeal D.C.’s tipped minimum wage law was blocked Monday in a tense Council meeting, derailing Mayor Muriel Bowser’s push to roll back Initiative 82.

Council blocks proposal

The Council voted 7–5 to strike Chairman Phil Mendelson’s budget amendment, which would have paused the voter-approved initiative and restructured how tipped workers are paid. The move came after a last-minute amendment from Councilmember Janeese Lewis George.

The debate grew emotional, with members clashing over the impact of the initiative on restaurants and workers. Mendelson framed his plan as a temporary pause, but a majority of the Council disagreed.

VIDEO: DC Council votes to keep Initiative 82 in place

Wage debate continues

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Initiative 82, passed by voters in 2022, aims to phase out the tip credit system and raise the base wage for tipped workers to match the citywide minimum wage by 2027. Critics say the rollout has hurt small businesses and reduced take-home pay, while supporters argue it ensures fair wages and economic stability.

Both sides say they expect to revisit the issue before the Council’s final budget vote on July 28.

READ MORE: DC restaurant 'Sticky Rice' blames Initiative 82 as it prepares to close down

DC Council votes to keep Initiative 82 in place

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser?s effort to repeal the Districts? tipped minimum wage was derailed today by the D.C. Council. Some owners of restaurants and servers have been warning that Initiative 82 is killing business and hurting their workers' pay but in a shocking move, the council went against both the mayor and the council president. FOX 5?S Tom Fitzgerald reports.