Lowell – As the upcoming election draws near, State Representative Rodney Elliott has announced his opposition to Question 5, a proposal that has sparked debate across the state.
The Lowell Democrat will appear at a rally on Wednesday, October 30th at 11 a.m. at Cobblestones in Lowell, MA, urging voters to consider the implications of Question 5 in the service industry and to emphasize the importance of maintaining a business-friendly environment in Massachusetts, while also considering the wishes of service workers.
Representative Elliott firmly believes that the passage of this measure would negatively impact restaurants, limit job growth and hinder the Commonwealths ability to attract new businesses to the area. “Question 5 would impose unnecessary burdens on service-related businesses and lead to decreased quality of services for consumers” he said.
Having worked first-hand in the service industry as a waiter and bartender, Representative Elliott understands the challenges faced by businesses and workers in this sector. Reflecting on his experiences, Rep. Elliott stated, “As someone who spent years as a bartender and waiter, I understand that the service goes well beyond mixing drinks and serving food; it’s about creating an experience. A tip is earned through precision, personality, attentiveness and the genuine desire to make each guest feel valued and appreciated.”
His personal testimony to the potential negative impacts of Question 5 on our local businesses and workforce reflect mainly on Massachusetts’ recent push to support small business owners after the pandemic posed a threat to their success. Rep. Elliott continued, “This measure does not align with the values our state stands for. It is essential that we support policies that foster growth in this sector.” Question 5, serving as a roadblock to small mom and pop restaurants that rely on human connection will allow chain restaurants, who can weather and spread the cost across states without the minimum wage requirements, to widen the success gap.
Small businesses are prominent in Rep. Elliott’s District, and he expressed concerns that the 16th Middlesex District cannot afford to “mirror what has happened with Washington D. C’s industry” since enacting the same requirements for restaurants to cover the full cost of minimum wage for its workers.
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association (MRA), also publicly opposed Question 5, noted that an increase in labor costs will result in higher prices.
Jessica Muradian, the MRA’s Director of Governmental Affairs stated to Rep. Elliott that “Data from Washington D.C., the only place currently implementing such a policy change, shows that this ballot initiative will not help servers or bartenders. On the contrary, the number of servers and bartenders has decreased by more than 10% and restaurants are closing as they simply cannot afford to stay in business. A recent survey of tipped employees shows 90% of tipped employees oppose this ballot question and the tip pooling that would be implemented with its passage.”