D.C. Council Sparks Outrage with Tipped Wage Compromise

The D.C. Council has passed its $22 billion 2026 budget with a controversial amendment rolling back key parts of Initiative 82, which voters approved to phase out the tipped minimum wage by 2027. The compromise delays full wage parity until 2034 and freezes the tipped base wage at $10/hour until 2026. The decision triggered heated protests, with demonstrators forcibly removed from the council chambers.