Eliminating the tipped minimum wage was a mistake. Repeal Initiative 82.

Jun 5

Washington Post | Editorial Board | June 5, 2025

One can sympathize with D.C. residents who, in 2022, overwhelmingly voted to eliminate the tipped minimum wage in the city. Proponents sold the measure — known as Initiative 82, which passed with nearly 74 percent of the vote — as a policy to guarantee restaurant servers a “living wage.” Instead, it is proving to be an economic disaster.

With restaurants closing, laying off workers or warning that they are on the verge of financial ruin because of rising payroll costs, the D.C. Council voted 8-4 on Tuesday to pause minimum-wage increases for tipped workers, which have been rolling out in phases since May 2023. The next raise, to $12, was slated for July.

Pausing the policy was the right call. Now, the council should take the next step and repeal it entirely, as D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) proposed in her 2026 budget.

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Christian Clansky

Eliminating the tipped minimum wage was a mistake. Repeal Initiative 82.

RAMW on Delay of Initiative 82 Implementation: “More jobs, more wealth for workers, more local restaurants—these are opportunities that we simply can’t afford to pass up.”