VOTING ON WAGES

Although the secretary of state hasn't officially certified the petition signatures as yet, it appears likely that Missourians will vote Nov. 5 on an initiative that, if successful, would establish the nation's highest minimum wage.

During the run-up to that vote, an interesting sequence of events has occurred. Gov. Mel Carnahan and Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson had earlier signed the petition to qualify the minimum-wage initiative for the ballot. At that time, however, both state officials took care to declare that their signatures didn't necessarily indicate their support for the proposal. Rather, they said at the time, their signatures on the petition indicated only that they judged it of sufficient importance that the people should have a chance to vote on it.

Oh.

Missourians will be forgiven if they conclude this cute maneuver to be another in a long line of politicians' seeking to have it both ways. In due course, last week both Wilson and Carnahan announced their opposition to the minimum-wage proposal. In this conclusion they have arrived at the correct position, but only after ensuring that both sides may be partially mollified. Both officials must hope that opponents won't remember that they signed the petition, while proponents will remember that they signed the petition early on and will take no notice of their later opposition.

The proposal not only would push Missouri's minimum wage to the nation's highest, but would also begin a permanent, annual ratcheting upward of this new, higher figure. It is a prescription for an uncompetitive labor market, a job-killer and a threat to every small business. Businesses would be encouraged to move jobs to neighboring states that aren't so hard on employers.

One other thing: The way to help working Missourians is to cut their taxes and leave them with more hard-earned take-home pay. Careful observers will notice that this being an election year, Gov. Carnahan is for that too.