Business owner, worker weigh in on Prop. 1. Reader raises question about SJR 8201

I support my workers — that’s why I oppose Proposition 1

As the owner and founder of Spruce, a small business in Olympia for 20 years, I care deeply about the health, stability, and future of my 20 employees — and that’s exactly why I’m concerned about Proposition 1.

Proponents of this measure talk about supporting workers, but that’s what I already do. My employees earn well above the state minimum wage, and I voluntarily provide healthcare, extended PTO, and a matching retirement plan because I believe in investing in their long-term success.

But Proposition 1 doesn’t strengthen that relationship — it replaces trust with red tape and collaboration with litigation. It allows anyone to sue an employer for almost any reason, shifting the burden of proof onto the business to prove they did nothing wrong. That doesn’t build supportive workplaces; it creates fear and legal bills.

Every hour I spend navigating compliance or defending a claim is an hour I can’t spend mentoring, training, or growing my team. At Spruce, we invest over $13,000 to train each new esthetician into a meaningful, lasting career.

Measures like this reduce the nimbleness and flexibility of small-business owners who live and work in the communities they serve, ultimately discouraging the very participation that makes Olympia’s local economy vibrant and resilient.

I truly support my workers — with opportunity, stability, and care. Proposition 1 undermines that partnership and hurts the very people it claims to help.

Annie Evans, Olympia

Vote yes on Prop. 1 because the problem is now

I have read many opinions both for and against Proposition 1, which would establish a bill of rights for workers within Olympia. Many business owners have cited unintended consequences for their opposition to the bill, including mandatory notice periods for schedule changes, initial offerings of additional hours to part-time workers, and mandatory tip and gratuity payouts to service staff.

The Olympia City Council has voted with a 4-3 majority to oppose Proposition 1, with Council Member Dani Madrone citing money that had previously been set aside “to study and conduct community engagement on labor standards.”

Landlords do not accept “the city is studying a higher minimum wage” as an excuse for deferring overdue, ever-increasing rent. Grocery stores do not allow you to buy food on years of credit, interest free, because “the city is in the middle of a study.” Proposition 1 forces these issues to the forefront of budget conversations, and gives the lowest paid worker a true seat at the table.

Please vote to approve Proposition 1 this November.

Perrin Zahn, Olympia

What stocks will Washington buy under SJR 8201?

Supporters of Washington’s Senate Joint Resolution 8201 keep saying it merely “modernizes” how the state invests its long-term-care fund by allowing investment in the stock market. What they don’t say anywhere is what stocks the state plans to buy. That omission matters.

If this amendment passes, the state will almost certainly invest in the same companies that already dominate our economy and tax base: Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Costco and Boeing. That’s not diversification, it’s concentration. When one of these corporations struggles or relocates, Washington could lose twice: first in jobs and tax revenue, then again through falling share values. Boeing’s 2022 headquarters move to Virginia shows that risk isn’t theoretical.

By avoiding specifics, proponents make SJR 8201 sound technical and safe. In reality, it would hard-wire our social-insurance fund to the fortunes of corporations we can’t control.

Before voting yes, Washingtonians deserve an honest answer: Exactly what stocks will the state buy, and why should our seniors’ care depend on them?

Andrew Baker, Seattle