New measure looks to cut pay for some restaurant workers
DENVER (KDVR) — State lawmakers are considering an idea to lower the pay for thousands of restaurant workers in an effort to save establishments from closing.
The piece of legislation has been dubbed the 'Restaurant Relief Act' because it aims to cut costs for restaurants across Denver, Edgewater and Boulder County.
Parker the Snow Dog, Georgetown's honorary mayor, dies in crash
In those three areas, the minimum wage is higher than it is in the rest of the state. Those are the areas where about 21,000 bartenders and servers stand to see a decrease in their base wage.
'Currently when someone is a tipped employee we can pay them $3.02 below minimum wage,' said Chrissy Strowmatt, general manager of the Blue Bonnet restaurant in Denver.
In Denver, the minimum wage is $18.81. Tipped workers are guaranteed $15.79 per hour plus tips. If they do not make enough tips to bring their earnings up to the city's $18.81 rate, employers must pay the difference. However, Strowmatt said those instances are rare.
'They're making anywhere between 35 dollars an hour up to 45 dollars an hour with their tips,' she said. 'They make more than the managers do.'
The new proposal would flatten the minimum hourly wage for all tipped restaurant workers across the state to $11.79, which is the current minimum rate for tipped restaurant workers outside of Denver, Edgewater and Boulder County.
Employers could still choose to pay their staff above the minimum rate.
'Four dollars an hour is a substantial pay cut in a city that costs continue to way surpass inflation. The unpredictability in tips can not account for this loss, has not and thousands will suffer for it,' restaurant server Laurie Brown said.
Brown is one of dozens of people who spoke in opposition of the measure during Thursday's lengthy hearing on the bill.
'This bill isn't about supporting restaurants. It's about keeping wages low and making it harder for tipped workers to thrive,' Alejandro Flores Munoz, owner of Combi Taco & Stokes Poke said during the hearing.
Meanwhile, Strowmatt said Blue Bonnet is one of many local businesses struggling to keep its doors open.
'We're at a breaking point. We're dying,' she said.
The restaurant has laid off staff, cut all service on Mondays and raised prices to try and stay afloat.
'I can't charge $25 for two tacos and rice and beans. Like, I can't do that. So something's got to give,' she said.
Look inside this $6M modern castle for sale in Douglas County
Strowmatt said the Restaurant Relief Act feels like it's their only hope.
'The last thing we want to do is take money from the servers. That is the last thing we want to do,' she said. 'When the restaurant's closed, nobody's got a job and everybody's in trouble so we really don't have any other options.'
After a five-hour committee hearing at the state capitol on Thursday, lawmakers voted 11-2 to advance the measure for further consideration.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Denver Clerk and Recorder adjusts fee for recording documents
DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Clerk and Recorder is adjusting its fee for recording documents, in compliance with new state law. Starting July 1, customers who file or record a document with the Denver Clerk and Recorder will be charged a flat rate of $43, regardless of page count, according to the agency. Zach Bryan announces unplanned show at Red Rocks with $50 tickets Any document received after June 30 will be subject to the fee increase and rejected if it is not paid for properly. Appointments are not required to record documents up to 3:30 p.m. each day through the end of June. The cost to file Uniform Commercial Code filings both electronically and physically will not change, according to the agency. Death records will also be exempt from the filing fee. The Denver Clerk and Recorder is located in downtown Denver at 201 W. Colfax Ave. Ste 101. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and closed on Saturday and Sunday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘No Kings' protest to go on in Parker despite town's requested cancellation
DENVER (KDVR) — After the town of Parker tried to cancel a 'No Kings' protest due to the Parker Days Festival on Saturday, the event is taking place anyway. On Saturday, June 14, a group known as 'No Kings' is planning a 'nationwide day of defiance' against the Trump administration on President Donald Trump's birthday. The group said during Trump's birthday festivities, they're planning on showing up around the country to say 'no thrones, no crowns, no kings.' No Kings: 'Activist fair' planned at Colorado Capitol on Trump's birthday, DC parade day Protests will be held in Colorado and all over the country, including Parker, even after the town of Parker said it had to be canceled due to a scheduling conflict. The town said the Parker Days Festival, which is hosted by the Parker Chamber of Commerce, is a permitted event that takes place the same weekend every June, with an estimated 350,000 people attending the event. Because of the festival, the town said resources and staffing are limited. 'Unfortunately, due to the large nature of the festival, the Town would not have sufficient staffing and resources, including those of the Police Department and other departments, to ensure the safety of any individuals participating in protests or rallies or any other person within the Town,' the town said in a statement. More than a dozen arrested in Denver Tuesday during ICE protest; police use smoke, pepper balls The town said it spoke with the No Kings Day event organizer last week, and the organizer reportedly agreed to cancel the event. However, the town was 'disappointed to hear' that the event was taking place anyway. The town said it offered to help find another date to host the event, but as of Wednesday morning, No Kings said the event was still on, and the protest is still listed to take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon, but at a 'private' address in Parker. 'The Town of Parker absolutely recognizes individuals' First Amendment rights but must balance those rights with the rights and safety of all other individuals. The Town is truly unable to accommodate another event during the weekend of Parker Days, as it will negatively impact its ability to safety and properly respond to the routine matters within the community, as well as any incidents that may occur due to the number of people anticipated to attend the No Kings rally,' the town said. FOX31 reached out to the Parker Days Festival about the scheduled events and is awaiting a response. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aurora City Council will not hold in-person meetings until Kilyn Lewis lawsuit concludes
DENVER (KDVR) — Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman announced Tuesday that the city's council meetings will be held virtually to prevent disruptions while a lawsuit filed on behalf of a man shot and killed by police works its way through the court system. The message was echoed on the council's webpage. The webpage includes instructions for how members of the public can view the meetings or provide public comment on agenda items. However, all public comment listening sessions have been canceled until further notice. Family of man killed by Aurora police last May files suit against city, officer who fired deadly shot The measure was voted on during the June 9 council meeting, with seven in favor, three against, and two members in debate. In May, the council addressed a resolution that would change how it accepts public comment. 'As of right now, criminally, Michael Dieck did not murder Kilyn Lewis,' said councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky. 'It's in the court's hands now, and I would like to suspend this to be virtual until we have an official ruling from the court as to whether or not the city is liable in any way, shape or form for the death of Kilyn Lewis. Because if we are not in fact liable in any way, shape or form for the death of Kilyn Lewis, there is nothing left to discuss, and there's no reason for you to come back.' Jurinsky added that if the ruling takes years to reach, then she's on board with having virtual meetings until the ruling. Family and friends of Kilyn Lewis have held protests during several Aurora City Council meetings. The group has been seeking justice after the 37-year-old was shot and killed by an Aurora police officer in May 2024. In October, the district attorney ruled that an officer who shot Lewis would not face charges. In late May, Lewis' family filed a lawsuit seeking accountability from the Aurora Police Department in their loved one's death. It discusses excessive force, wrongful death and violations of the family's constitutional rights. 'This lawsuit is not just about a dollar amount. It's about truth. It's about making sure that the life of a Black man like Kilyn Lewis is not so easily discarded,' said MiDian Shofner, CEO of the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership and lead advocate for the family, in the May 28 announcement of the case filing. 'No amount of money can bring him back, but since America has made money the metric for justice, the family is rightfully pursuing every legal remedy available.' Coffman wrote on Facebook that he believes the group is simply looking for a check, and then they will 'go away.' Deadly shooting of Kilyn Lewis leads to new Aurora police SWAT policies: Report 'Until then, they will continue to disrupt our meetings. They have no choice but to continue disrupting our meetings because their lawsuit is meritless. This is why we have no choice but to stop all in-person council meetings, and go virtual, until their lawsuit has been concluded,' Coffman wrote. He noted that an Arapahoe County Grand Jury was also asked to review the case and declined to pursue charges against the officer. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
