FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Is Prop 32 about?
- Prop 32 would raise the minimum wage to $18 per hour, ensuring that more service workers, essential workers, and single moms can afford the high cost of living in California.
- This measure will give a much-needed raise to over 2 million workers across our state. It’s a vote to ensure that workers can earn enough to keep up with rising costs.
- It’s time to put workers first, not just corporate profits!
- A vote YES on Proposition 32 is a vote for fairness, for workers, and for a California where everyone can afford the basics.
What does Proposition 32 do?
- Prop 32 increases the minimum wage to $17 for employers with 26 or more employees right away, and $18 by January 2025.
- For smaller employers, it raises the wage to $17 by 2025 and $18 by January 2026.
- After 2026, the wage will continue to adjust annually to keep up with rising prices, ensuring that all workers earn a fair wage.
What are the top 4 Top Reasons to Vote Yes on Proposition 32?
1. A Raise for 2 Million Workers:
Prop 32 directly raises the wages of over 2 million workers in California. It’s a critical step in ensuring that those who work hard every day, especially in service and essential roles, can afford to live with dignity.
2. Supports Service Workers, Essential Workers, and Single Moms:
Prop 32 ensures that workers who keep our communities running—like service workers, healthcare staff, and single moms—can afford life’s basic needs. It helps those who have been hit hardest by economic challenges, giving them the stability they deserve.
3. Keeps Up With the Cost of Living:
California’s cost of living is among the highest in the nation, and wages haven’t kept up. Prop 32 raises wages so workers can pay rent, buy groceries, and take care of their families without constantly struggling.
4. Holds Corporations Accountable
While corporate profit margins have doubled since 2000, corporations have spiked prices on everyday goods, making life even harder for working families. Prop 32 ensures that workers get a fair share of the economic growth they help create.
How does Prop 32 help California working families?
- Prop 32 addresses wage stagnation and rising living costs in California. It ensures that workers in every industry—especially those in essential and service roles—earn wages that keep pace with inflation, reducing the need to rely on public assistance or second jobs just to make ends meet.
- With corporations raking in record profits while workers struggle, Prop 32 is a step toward rebalancing the scales and making sure workers aren’t left behind.
Let’s build an economy that works for everyone, not just corporations—vote YES on Prop 32.
Dispelling Misinformation
1. “Prop. 32 Was Written by a Multimillionaire, and It’s Flawed.”
“Prop 32 is supported by workers and communities across California because it’s about giving people a fair chance at making a decent living. It may have been initiated by one person, but it’s the needs of California’s working families that it addresses. Raising wages isn’t about who wrote the proposal—it’s about whether it’s the right thing to do for working people.
2. “Prop. 32 Increases the Cost of Living, Eliminates Jobs and passes costs onto consumers”
Raising wages doesn’t increase the cost of living—unfair corporate practices do. Big corporations have raised prices on everything from food to rent while doubling their profits since 2000. Prop 32 helps workers keep up with those rising costs. And research shows that raising the minimum wage puts more money into the economy, creating jobs rather than eliminating them.
3. “It Worsens Budget Deficits and Makes Wage Laws Harder to Understand”
When workers earn more, they rely less on public assistance, which actually reduces the strain on state budgets. Prop 32 helps build a stronger economy by reducing poverty and improving the quality of life for thousands of families. As for complexity, Prop 32 sets clear wage standards that adjust with inflation, making it easier for workers and businesses alike to plan for the future.
4. “It’s Bad for Small Businesses”Prop 32 gives smaller businesses more time to adjust to wage increases, reaching $18 an hour in 2026. This gradual approach balances the needs of small businesses while ensuring that their employees aren’t left behind. Additionally, when workers have more money, they spend more locally, boosting the community economy.
5. “This raise is going to help teenagers and young people that don’t need the extra money.”A report from the California Legislative Analyst’s Office found roughly half of low-wage workers were over the age of 35 and more than a quarter were over 50. The state’s largest low-wage occupation is home health and personal care aides and more than half of low-wage workers are Latino.