Entrepreneur and anti-poverty activist Joe Samberg, who spearheaded the recently defeated state ballot measure to raise California's minimum wage, said he was “frustrated and disappointed” by the loss but expressed concern for struggling Californians. He vowed to continue working for the cause.
Proposition 32, which would have raised the state's minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour by 2026, narrowly failed at the ballot box, 50.8% to 49.2%.
The move was championed by Samberg, a progressive business leader, investor, and co-founder of socially conscious financial firm Aspiration.
Opponents of California's failed minimum wage hike say voters 'made the right decision'
Joe Samberg spearheaded Proposition 32, an effort to raise California's minimum wage to $18 an hour. (Fox News Digital)
“I thought it would pass by a very narrow margin,” he told Fox News Digital. “We're frustrated and disappointed that we lost so narrowly. We also recognize that people are very angry and frustrated about inflation and don't know who to blame where.”
“I think we can all agree that if you work full time, you should be able to afford your basic needs,” he added. “And there are millions of Californians who are not.”
Supporters of Prop. 32 said about 2 million workers, including hotel and grocery store employees, stand to benefit from the measure, the Associated Press reported.
California has raised its minimum wage in recent years to offset rising costs of housing, gas and other necessities. In April, it mandated that fast food restaurants with 60 or more locations in the state must pay their employees at least $20 an hour.
Business groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Restaurant Association and the California Grocers Association opposed Prop. 32, saying high labor costs would hurt small businesses and lead to higher prices for customers.
“It's understandable that policymakers, and by extension many Californians, are fascinated and drawn to the concept of putting a few extra dollars in someone's pocket, but unfortunately They didn't seem to understand the economic impact it would have,” said John Kabatek. The California state director of the National Federation of Independent Business told Fox News Digital.
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Proposition 32, which would have raised the state's minimum wage from $16 to $18 an hour by 2026, narrowly failed at the ballot box, 50.8% to 49.2%. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
Opponents also argued that raising the minimum wage too quickly would lead to job losses.
“If workers lose their jobs or their companies go bankrupt, their wages will drop to $0 an hour,” business leaders wrote in their official ballot argument.
Samberg has spent years advocating for anti-poverty legislation and raising awareness about California's tax credits, which help people out of financial insecurity. Despite the defeat at the ballot box, Samberg said he remains optimistic.
He noted that in Imperial County, east of San Diego and on the California-Mexico border, President-elect Trump gained significant support among voters, even though Vice President Kamala Harris won the overall vote count.
“It's clear that working class voters support raising the minimum wage. To me, this is a message about how both parties can work together to improve working wages.” Samberg he said.
Samberg, who grew up with a single parent who struggled financially, said he will continue to advocate for higher wages for workers so they can at least cover basic living expenses.
“I'm open to all approaches to achieving that outcome, but that's the outcome we should be pursuing. I can't imagine settling for anything less,” he said. “Is there anything more American than the idea of working full time and being able to pay for your home, transportation, food, and health care?”
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“It's not an aspiration. It's a fundamental commitment that all Americans are taught to believe in one another,” he added. “For tens of millions of working-class people across the country, I think this contract has been broken for some time.”
