Letter to the editor: Tipped workers need full repeal of Initiative 77

As an African-American woman who relies on tips to make ends meet, I could not disagree more with the points made by Ward 3 DC Council member Mary Cheh in her recent commentary (“Mary Cheh: DC Council should seek middle ground on Initiative 77).

Council member Cheh represents a ward that voted against Initiative 77, so I’m unsure why she still insists on the merits of this poorly written, duplicative and deceptive ballot initiative. In most circumstances, compromise is a worthy ambition — but DC and federal law both already require that tipped workers make at least minimum wage, and most of us take home far more than that because we earn our tips.

In addition, I would be the last person to argue that women in the restaurant industry should have anything less than equality, but the truth is that this initiative does nothing to address gender equality. Instead, it creates a system in which tipping is eliminated and my take-home pay is cut — by a lot. For me, Initiative 77 is a pay cap and takes away one of the things I have treasured about my job: the flexibility and good wages to be able to live the life that I want to live. That is true empowerment!

The only course of action to remedy this terrible initiative is full repeal.

Taneisha Hasan, Logan Circle