Civil Beat Poll — Voters Want Higher Minimum Wage, Reject Legal Pot
A large majority of people in the state are in favor of a substantial increase in the minimum wage, a new Civil Beat Poll shows. But the state should not legalize marijuana for recreational use.
Increasing the wage from $7.25 an hour to at least $9.25 is something that 68 percent of statewide registered voters agree on. Just 23 percent rejected the idea. (A $2 pay hike per hour would amount to a nearly 30 percent raise for workers who bring home the minimum.)
But 59 percent of respondents said they do not want the Aloha State to follow Washington and Colorado in allowing residents to smoke marijuana, which is considered a Schedule I drug akin to heroin, peyote and LSD by the federal government. Only one-third of voters feel it’s time to get legally high on pakalolo.
Both issues are being debated locally and in many states. So is the issue of medical marijuana dispensaries which would be regulated by the state. Hawaii voters split on that issue, however, with 45 percent in favor but 47 percent opposed.
Earlier this month, a state Senate committee shelved a bill to legalize pot but advanced another measure that would institute a fine for possession of an ounce or less. faces a key deadline this week. It must move to the full Senate for a vote next week, or it’s likely dead for the year. There is also another decriminalization measure, that stalled in the House last session that technically remains alive.
House Speaker Joe Souki called for establishing medical marijuana dispensaries in his opening day speech, but two House measures that would lead to their establishment have yet to be heard, and they seem unlikely to be this session. Similar Senate measures haven’t yet been heard either. Representatives may elect to go with setting up a task force to study the idea.
Minimum wage legislation, however, remains a priority among lawmakers. The challenge is coming to an agreement on the details.
that would increase the wage to $9.50 and eliminate the tip credit was shelved Tuesday, while decision-making on that calls for a $10.10 wage by 2017 and eliminates the tip credit is set for Thursday morning. Word is lawmakers are trying to reach a compromise on the wage amount as well as a tip credit, which is currently 25 cents.
Civil Beat’s pollster, , surveyed 1,003 registered voters Feb. 12-15. The poll includes a mix of cell phones and landlines and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.
Blueberry Kush, Indica-3.
A majority of voters say increasing the minimum wage would be good for the state’s economy, but they are divided as to whether it would hurt businesses.
Individuals with incomes of $100,000 and higher are less supportive of a minimum wage hike than those below that income threshold. People with less education are also more likely to be in favor of an increase.
But almost every demographic group — broken down by age, ethnicity, island of residence, military and union — showed a majority in favor of a low-wage increase. Republicans and people who identified themselves as conservatives essentially split on the question.
Regarding the poll numbers on marijuana, there are two caveats: We polled registered voters, not everyone, and we pointed out in our poll question that marijuana is illegal. Survey support for decriminalization might have been higher had we not used those parameters.
All ethnic groups, but especially Japanese and Chinese, oppose decriminalization. In terms of support for recreational pot use, Caucasians were most in favor, at 45 percent.
Voters on Oahu are the least receptive to decriminalization and Maui is most in favor.
Contact Chad Blair via email at cblair@civilbeat.com or follow him on Twitter at @chadblairCB.
