Amber England guides Oklahomans through the ballot measure process, shedding light on how achievable change, like raising Oklahoma’s minimum wage, can be.
In 2018, England established Strategy 77, a firm aimed at enabling ordinary citizens to actively participate in the policy-making process.
“I was getting tired of the constant back and forth between Democrats and Republicans,” said England. “I wanted to empower ordinary people and help them realize their potential to turn their ideas into actual laws.”
To support State Question 832 by voting “yes,” it must first secure a place on the Oklahoma ballot. According to England, the petition garnered an impressive number of signatures, with over 157,000 individuals lending their support, surpassing the required 92,263 signatures by a significant margin.
“We are excited to provide hardworking Oklahomans with a much-needed increase in their pay,” stated England.
However, the question remains: will it happen soon enough? There are still a few obstacles that need to be overcome.
“The state chamber has taken the lead in opposing this,” England stated. “They represent the interests of large corporations and special interest groups. It’s not surprising that they are fighting against it. They prefer to maintain control rather than allowing voters to have a say.”
Leyah Yisrael, a former resident of Oklahoma, is advocating for decision makers to cultivate empathy and gain a firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by individuals living solely on minimum wage.
Yisrael empathetically expressed the need for individuals to put themselves in the shoes of those who earn only $7.25 an hour.
According to England, there are around 320,000 Oklahomans who earn less than $15 per hour and face difficulties in meeting their financial obligations for gas, groceries, and housing. To gain some perspective on this issue, I had a conversation with Daniel Yandell, a retired firefighter and resident of Durant. Yandell expressed his belief that the current minimum wage falls short of meeting the needs of individuals like him.
“We’re standing in front of Walmart, and I only bought two bags of groceries for $64,” Yandell exclaimed. “With a wage of $7.50 an hour, a family of four can’t even afford to take one member out to eat.”
Once the protest period ends on September 5, Governor Stitt has the option to issue a proclamation on September 6 and include State Question 832 on the November ballot, but this outcome remains uncertain. Despite the possibility of not making it to the November ballot, England remains optimistic that it will eventually be included in future elections.
“England emphasized the urgency of issuing the proclamation and setting an election date, stating that every day of delay is a missed opportunity for Oklahoma workers to receive a much-needed pay raise.”
The “Raise the Wage” campaign has successfully gathered signatures from all 77 counties in Oklahoma and is now waiting for Governor Stitt’s response. England urges voters to stay informed and get involved by visiting their website to stay updated on upcoming events.
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