Good morning friends!

Among the five ballot questions before Massachusetts voters this fall is a referendum that would eliminate the tipped minimum wage for some restaurant workers (among other professions), while also changing the way tips can be shared.

That said, please don’t believe anyone (or any of the 30-second TV ads you’ll likely be bombarded with this fall) suggesting this is simple.

It’s not.

First, a quick Question 5 recap, courtesy of WBUR:

• Massachusetts' current minimum wage is $15 an hour. But workers who regularly earn tips can be paid as little as $6.75 an hour, as long as wages and tips ultimately add up to at least $15 per hour. The ballot question would gradually raise the tipped minimum wage to $15 an hour over five years. Any tips would be extra.

  
  

• After the five-year phase-in, the law would also allow employers to create "tip pools" that would allow the sharing of tips with cooks, dishwashers and other back-of-the-house employees, something that’s not allowed today.

Here’s the problem: Restaurants are entrepreneurial businesses. They not a monolith. They have many different models. They span from fine dining to fast casual. They’re located in our most affluent communities and our poorest. Many struggle on thin margins. Many are still rebounding from the pandemic and burnout. And inflation has been brutal.

At the same time: Some restaurant workers earn a respectable —or better — living. Others barely live paycheck to paycheck. Many are still rebounding from the pandemic and burnout. And inflation has been brutal.

Some restaurant owners believe Question 5 reflects a realignment of wages needed to address the inequities between the front-of-the-house servers and those creating magic every day in their kitchens.

Others warn Question 5 will lead to dramatic price spikes (“Is America ready to start paying $40 for a burger?” asks Seana Gaherin of Dunn-Gaherin's Food & Spirits in Newton Upper Falls), an exodus of top talent, layoffs of others, and businesses closing.

There’s also worries that the law’s five-year phase-in will create chaos, worker turnover and customer confusion (“Am I still expected to tip? If so how much?”) and may not have been the best way to craft this law.

In other words, more than one thing can be true at the same time: The system needs reform but this reform might cause irreparable harm.  

(BTW, pretty much every restauranteur believes we’d benefit more from fixing our immigration laws, but I digress.)

Like I said, it’s complicated.

Last month, we polled chamber member restaurant owners to ask them how they feel about Question 5. I’ll share the results next week.

She’s most notable for being notable

State House News photo.

Watertown’s Marilyn Petitto Devaney’s decades-long political career appears to have ended.

Devaney lost her bid Tuesday to extend her 25-year run as the longest-serving Governor's Council member in a contentious rematch against public defense attorney Mara Dolan, from Concord.

Devaney was once was the youngest Watertown Town Meeting member and then a Watertown Councilor-at-Large.

But she’s most notable for being notable and for never straying far from controversy, such as when she was charged with throwing a curling iron at a store clerk, going through a neighbor’s mail, making dubious endorsement claims, or and more throwing.

Tuesday’s primary loss didn’t appear to be particularly humbling. Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Devaney touted her efforts to get her colleagues to follow the Open Meeting Law while blaming them for working against her reelection.

"And so, yeah. I'm bullied, and it's OK. But I'm just saying that when something's wrong, I speak out," she said, according to State House News.

"So I tried to have openness. And that's what I've done. So no good deed goes unpunished. But you know what? I made it better. And that's what I'm going out thinking. My reforms made this Council better than when I came in. And I promised reforms, and I delivered," she said.

"So, that's it," she said. "So I'm proud. I'm proud. And my family are proud."

Friday grab bag

• The Watertown Free Public Library hosts a discussion with Boston area artists about their work, creative processes, and the "Where Are All the Black People At" movement, led by fine art photographer and last year's chamber Business Leader of Color honoree, Archy LaSalle, on Tues. (Sept 10), 6:30 t to 8:30 p.m.
  
  
• Linden Square is hosting a Blow-out Sidewalk Sale through Sunday.
  
  
• The second working group meeting for the MassDOT’s  Newton Corner Long Term Planning is Sept. 18, at 4 p.m. via  Zoom.
  
  
• The Coolidge Corner Theater is outfitting Moviehouse 1 (its largest theatre) to show 70mm prints all month long, including “Vertigo,” “The Master” and “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Details
  
  
• The MBTA has created a tool kit to help share information about its new, expanded eligibility for reduced fares. It includes ready-made email copy, social media posts, and other materials to spread the word about this benefit program for income-eligible riders.

State’s partial noncompete ban still standing

The Federal Trade Commission's ban on noncompete agreements that was supposed to take effect this week is in limbo, after a Texas judge blocked the rule.

The rule would have superseded Massachusetts’ partial ban on noncompetes. That 2018 law limits noncompetes to one year for most workers and remains in place. (WBUR)

New initiative seeks to engage young professionals in fight for housing

Finally this morning, far too often those who show up to speak at public meetings when a multi-family housing projector MBTA Communities proposal is on the agenda are older, longtime residents who, well, already have a place to live.

Often missing from that conversation are the voices of younger adults who, due to the difficulty of finding housing in Greater Boston, have, or are considering, leaving the Commonwealth.

And often — those younger workers tell us — they’d like to be part of the conversation about expanding housing availability.

But they don’t know where to start, who to talk to, or when to show up.

That’s why our chamber, in partnership with CHAPA is launching an effort to engage young professionals in local housing conversations, starting with our virtual Housing Advocacy Workshop next Thursday (Sept. 12) at 1 p.m.

Attendees don’t have to live and work in our chamber communities to attend.

In fact, that’s the whole idea: Municipal leaders need to hear from individuals who wish they could live, or work, in our cities and towns …if only they could find housing.

If that’s you — or if there’s someone in your orbit who might find this of interest — please share this link with them.
  

That’s what you need to know for today, unless you want to test your knowledge on the latest teen slang. (I got three right!)

Enjoy your weekend and the so-far-undefeated Patriots.  

Greg Reibman (he, him)

President & CEO

Charles River Regional Chamber

617.244.1688

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