Desperate times call for desperate measures

Proponents of a minimum wage increase are discovering that they cannot depend on state legislators to confront the powerful business lobby, even if a majority of citizens favor raising the minimum wage.

With that in mind, a coalition is being formed in Arkansas to go directly to voters with a proposed constitutional amendment to raise the minimum wage.

On Monday the coalition, called "Give Arkansas a Rai$e Now," will announce its formation and submit to the attorney general's office a proposed ballot title for the Nov. 7, 2006 election. If the title is approved, the coalition will gather the required number of signatures to put the issue before the voters, thereby circumventing a legislature rendered unresponsive by a lobbyist-dominated culture.