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Lynnwood City Councilmember Josh Binda Monday announced the launch of “Fair Pay Lynnwood,” an effort to raise Lynnwood’s minimum wage for some businesses from the current $16.66 to $20.24 by next summer. In a media event at the Lynnwood Transit Center, Binda was joined by local union leaders, including Seattle mayoral candidate Katie Wilson, the executive director of King County’s Transit Riders Union.
The initiative is intended for businesses with 15 or more employees or those grossing over $2 million annually, said Binda, who is on the November ballot for reelection to his Position 3 seat on the Lynnwood City Council. Large employers with over 500 employees would be required to raise wages by July 2026. Businesses employing between 15 and 499 people will implement the new wage in phases over the course of three years.
Before hiring additional employees or contractors, the initiative would require employers to offer extra hours to existing employees, Binda said. “This initiative includes robust protections against retaliation, ensuring that no employer can interfere with or deny the right of protection under this chapter,” he said.
Binda said he plans to pursue one of two options to put the measure into effect, whether that’s through a ballot initiative or through advocating for an ordinance to be passed by the Lynnwood City Council. He plans to begin collecting signatures right away, with hopes to place the initiative on the February 2026 ballot.
“As someone who had his first-ever job… that was a minimum wage job right here in Lynnwood, I know firsthand the challenges that come with trying to make ends meet with a wage that simply just isn’t enough,” he said.
With recent federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Binda said some families are “struggling to put food on the table.”
“This is a crisis that I believe demands immediate attention here in Lynnwood,” he said. “I believe our initiative to raise the minimum wage in Lynnwood is not merely a worker’s driven effort for fair compensation. It is a vital safeguard for our workers here.”
Lynnwood follows the statewide $16.66 minimum wage, which is set to increase each year based on the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. The state is scheduled to announce the adjusted 2026 minimum wage in September.
According to state estimates, a minimum wage-earner working 40 hours per week would take home around $2,390 a month. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Lynnwood ranges from $1,600 to $1,800, according to data from online apartment listings. That rent represents between 66% to 75% of a minimum wage worker’s monthly paycheck.
Wilson previously served as a coordinator for campaigns to raise the minimum wage in Tukwila and Burien. Efforts like these are popular in the region, she said, with ballot initiatives passed in cities such as Everett, Renton and Bellingham.
“That just really shows how popular of an issue this is,” Wilson said. “It’s not even a partisan issue. …This is something that so many people in our communities can get behind.”
In 2022, the initiative to raise Tukwila’s minimum wage (to $20.10 for larger companies and $19 for smaller firms) passed with 80%, she added, with 30% of registered Republicans voting in favor of the measure.
“I am thrilled to be here to support the launch of an effort to raise the minimum wage in Lynnwood,” Wilson said. “We know that we cannot have a resilient economy without a stable workforce and strong communities, and we cannot have these things without good jobs.”
Kelly Shaffer is a Lynnwood resident and member of UFCW 3000, a union representing retail, food, health care and other workers across the Pacific Northwest.
“I grew up in Lynnwood, I live here, though I work in Seattle,” Shaffer said. “This is because it has always been worth it to sacrifice two hours of my day to commute to a higher-wage city. Raising the minimum wage would bring us on-par with higher-wage cities, and make the light rail something that, instead of sending our community members out and away, could keep us together and bring more people in.”
— Contact Ashley at ashley@myedmondsnews.com.
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