Healey Rejects Question 5, Citing Concerns Over Restaurant Closures and Job Losses for Servers

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday she’s voting no on a ballot question that would change the pay structure for tipped employees. Photo Courtesy of MGN 

By Daniel Cordova Rubio

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey announced her opposition to Question 5, a ballot initiative aimed at phasing out the state’s tipped minimum wage of $6.75 plus tips, in favor of the standard minimum wage of $15 per hour for servers and bartenders. Drawing from her own experience working as a server from age 13 to 24, Healey explained that her stance was shaped by recent discussions with servers, bartenders, and restaurant owners.

“I think it’s important to vote ‘no’ on this because I think you run the risk of closing restaurants and putting these workers out of work, actually, because the restaurant owners I speak [to] are not going to be able to afford this, and they’re going to end up laying off people and in some instances, some have told me they’re just going to shut down,” Healey said.

Opponents of the measure, including Massachusetts Restaurants United, share Healey’s concerns, arguing that many restaurants operate with narrow profit margins and would need to raise menu prices or add fees to compensate for higher labor costs if the proposal passes. They warn that this could ultimately result in closures and job losses.

Healey also described the ballot question as a “well-intentioned effort brought by out-of-state interests,” referencing One Fair Wage, a national organization advocating for the elimination of tipped minimum wages across the U.S. The group has achieved legislative wins in cities like Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

Supporters of the initiative argue that eliminating the tipped minimum wage would provide more financial stability for restaurant workers and help prevent wage theft, especially in high-cost states like Massachusetts. A study by the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University found that while eliminating the tipped minimum wage could boost earnings for workers, it would also increase costs for businesses, likely resulting in higher prices, added fees, and reduced hiring.

With Election Day approaching, polls show mixed results on the measure’s support. A recent University of Massachusetts Amherst/WCVB survey found that 61% of respondents favored Question 5, while a Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll indicated that nearly 52% were against it.

Healey emphasized her commitment to fair wages and workplace protections but maintained that Question 5 could inadvertently harm the efforts to improve workers’ conditions.