OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - Proponents of a state question to raise the minimum wage in Oklahoma said it’s not likely they’ll make the November ballot due to what they called “delay tactics” by the state chamber. But Chamber officials said they were just following the process to challenge it legally.
"It really is a bad policy for business. It's bad for Oklahomans,” President and CEO and for the state chamber Chad Warmington said.
"They know that when the cost of gas, groceries and housing just keeps going up, that wages should also,” spokesperson for Yes on 832 Amber England said.
It’s a back and forth over SQ 832. It’s a measure designed to raise Oklahoma’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 over 5 years. After that, it would be tied to cost of living increases measured by the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s consumer price index.
"We are really, really proud of the effort that we have been able to put together thus far,” England said.
England said they turned in more than twice the signatures required to get on the ballot, which is just over 90,000.
"That speaks to just the enthusiasm that voters had,” England said.
However, a road block came in another form.
"We're making sure that we follow all the procedures to challenge it appropriately along the way,” Warmington said.
Warmington and the state chamber defend their challenge to the Oklahoma Supreme Court dating back to last year, which England said will likely prevent it from being on the November ballot due to pushing back the time for them to get signatures. The chamber argues that only state lawmakers can dictate the minimum wage ceiling and they believe the new proposal could raise minimum wage above $15 without lawmaker approval as markets fluctuate.
"We haven't delayed it unnecessarily as much as we've just follow the process,” Warmington said.
"There have been political headwinds the whole time,” England said.
Right now, the state question is in a 10-day challenge period. It’s unclear if new hurdles will be put in its path, but supporters believe this is a marathon they can eventually finish.
"We're really proud of what we've built and we just want an opportunity to vote on this,” England said.
"We're going to go fight it when it does make the ballot sometime next year,” Warmington said.
The governor’s office released a statement to KFOR on the situation and it can be read in full below.
“Notice was published in the paper yesterday so the challenge period started then and lasts 10 days. If there’s no challenge, then the governor will make the determination to put it on the next available statewide ballot.”
