Progressive Newton is gearing up for Round Two of signature gathering for the Raise Up Massachusetts campaign. On April 30 we had a great crowd at Neysha and Robert’s house for our strategy meeting, led by Progressive Massachusetts’s Executive Director, Ben Wright. Our group committed to collecting 1,000 signatures between May 10 and June 18 to get the minimum wage and earned sick leave initiatives on the ballot this November. People had a lot of great ideas about the best ways to reach that goal, and particularly – because repeat signers aren’t allowed – how most efficiently to reach voters who didn’t sign the petitions last fall.

We’re excited to kick off this newest signature drive this Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m. outside the Starbucks near Centre and Beacon Streets in Newton Center. Over the next five weeks we’ll be all over Newton, and beyond, as we help complete the last task needed to bring these two critically important questions before the voters of Massachusetts. We’ll also be keeping an eye on what’s happening in the Massachusetts legislature, and identifying the next issues on which we’ll focus once signature gathering is finished.

As always, we’d be thrilled to have your help! If you’re interested in collecting petition signatures to raise the minimum wage and provide earned sick leave for a million Massachusetts workers, contact us at (617) 340-9527 or progressivenewton@gmail.com.