New State Law Forces Cleveland Group to Withdraw Its $15 Minimum Wage Petition

Unsurprisingly, Raise Up Cleveland officially withdrew its petition for a $15 minimum wage hike ballot issue that would have come before voters in May. The move comes after Gov. John Kasich signed into a law a bill that loosens regulations on where pet stores can source their puppies.

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In December, the Statehouse approved SB 331, which will allow pet stores in Ohio to sell puppies from puppy mills. Tucked into that bill at the last minute was a provision to strip local municipalities of "home rule," their ability to regulate and vote on what happens within their bounds (outside of and apart from state law). Implicit in that part of the bill was an urge to do anything possible to kill the special May election in Cleveland.

The state, backed up by members of Cleveland City Council, got its way. There will be no minimum wage vote.

"By making a pact with politicians in Columbus to deny the people their right to vote on this issue, they have made it clear on which side they stand," Raise Up Cleveland spokeswoman Jocelyn Smallwood said in a public statement.

Read more: http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2017/01/09/new-state-law-forces-cleveland-group-to-withdraw-its-15-minimum-wage-petition