Repeal of Initiative 77 "A Betrayal of DC Voters"

This morning, as the DC Council hears testimony on a bill that would overturn Initiative 77, a ballot measure passed in June by DC voters that would eliminate the tipped minimum wage in the District, the Patriotic Millionaires of DC issued the following statement:

"If they follow through on their threat to overturn Initiative 77, the DC Council will prove themselves to be worse than Congressional Republicans. The people of DC deserve a government that responds to the will of the people, not the will of wealthy special interest groups. The Council has a responsibility to uphold their constituents' votes, and the voters of DC have overwhelmingly chosen to support Initiative 77. This bill is a betrayal of DC voters, particularly those of color, who overwhelmingly voted for this ballot measure.

For the Council to side with a white, wealthy minority against a diverse majority isn't just wrong, it's incredibly hypocritical coming from a governing body that constantly complains about their citizens' lack of political power. The seven members of the Council who have publicly backed this bill, Phil Mendelson, Jack Evans, Brandon T. Todd, Kenyan R. McDuffie, Anita Bonds, Vincent C. Gray, and Trayon White Sr., need to decide whether they want to honor their constituents' choices, or else they should find a new line of work."