The state-required financial disclosures from the “Yes on 1” (raising the minimum wage) campaign show that the money supporting the ballot initiative is primarily from outside Alaska.
Only about $60,000 of the Yes on 1 group’s $2.6 million war chest was contributed this year by Alaska organizations — four unions.
One Outside funder, The Fairness Project of Washington D.C., provided at least $1.5 million in money and technical expertise. That includes a $1.1 million wire transfer on Sept. 9 to the Yes on 1 group.
The Fairness Project is a 501(c)(4) and is running seven similar ballot measure campaigns across the country this election cycle.
“A left-leaning advocacy group called the Fairness Project has created a playbook for using ballot initiatives to go around GOP-led state legislatures. Since 2016, it has backed successful initiatives to raise the minimum wage and expand Medicaid,” reported NPR.
The Fairness Project made an electronic funds transfer to the Yes on 1 group of $1,180,000 in on Sept. 9, and smaller amounts equaling about $100,000 at roughly the same time. It has been the regular periodic funder throughout the campaign.
The funds are being largely funneled to the Ship Creek Group, a political strategy company that works for Democrats and their causes. Other political operators are getting their fair share, however, for handling various media transactions and outreach duties. The Alaska Federation of Natives, for instance, received $10,000.
Financial disclosure statements published by the Alaska Public Offices Commission show the campaign for Ballot Measure No. 1 has about 30 contributions in total.
NEA-Alaska, Service Employees International Union 775 AK PAC, Teamsters Local 959, and ASEA Local 52 are the only four Alaska organizations that contributed.
The primary backers of The Fairness Project, which does not practice accounting transparency, include SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, a California health care workers union.
Unions back this minimum wage initiative because union wages are pegged to a percentage of the minimum wage and will automatically go up, driving up costs of goods and services across the entire economy of Alaska.