OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging Oklahomans to vote against State Question 832, joining a growing number of elected officials, local leaders, and business advocates who have raised concerns about the minimum wage proposal.
In an interview with KOCO, Stitt called SQ 832 “terrible policy” and said government should not set wages for private businesses. His central concern, he said, is the measure’s automatic inflation escalator. According to KOCO, Stitt warned that SQ 832 would cause Oklahoma’s minimum wage to rise every year after reaching $15 per hour.
“The bigger issue with the state question is it also mandatorily climbs,” Stitt told KOCO. “It goes up every single year.”
SQ 832 will appear on Oklahoma’s June 16 ballot. The measure would raise the state minimum wage to $12 per hour in 2027, $13.50 in 2028, and $15 in 2029. Beginning in 2030, the minimum wage would increase annually based on CPI-W, a federal inflation index. The measure also would remove certain exemptions from the Oklahoma Minimum Wage Act.
Stitt said the automatic increases could create long-term cost pressure for small businesses and reduce entry-level job opportunities.
“That is going to destroy some of the small businesses,” Stitt told KOCO.
The governor’s comments add to broader opposition from Oklahoma business organizations, local chambers, municipal leaders, restaurant owners, and lawmakers who have argued SQ 832 would increase costs for employers, consumers, and local governments.
Opponents have focused heavily on the measure’s post-2029 inflation indexing, arguing that it would place Oklahoma wage policy on autopilot regardless of local economic conditions. Supporters of SQ 832 argue the measure would help low-wage workers keep up with the cost of living and boost household earnings.
Stitt also emphasized the role of entry-level jobs in helping young workers build skills.
“Entry-level jobs should be for high school and learning responsibility, working as a team, and showing up on time,” Stitt told KOCO. “You’re not supposed to stay entry level. You’re supposed to learn a skill and continue to grow.”
