The proponents are already claiming they’ve collected enough valid voter signatures in Massachusetts to put a couple of wage and paid leave proposals before the voters on the 2018 state ballot. The non-profit RaiseUp Massachusetts said last week that their wage ballot and paid leave measures each had more than double the required 64,750 valid voter signatures, ensuring the issues are placed before the voters next November. The minimum wage initiative would raise the current state hourly minimum of $11 to $15 an hour by 2022 and would also hike the hourly wage for tipped employees to $9, up from the current $3.75. The paid leave measure the group is pushing would create an insurance program that would offer most workers in the Bay State up to 16 weeks of paid leave for a new child or to care for an ill family member, but provide a full 26 weeks paid leave to workers recovering from an illness. Unrelated, but perhaps equally as concerning, the Boston City Council unanimously approved (11-0) a city ban on single use plastic bags, setting a price of $.05 per bag and sent the ordinance to Mayor Marty Walsh for his deliberation. The Mayor has yet to take any action on the ordinance and is still said to be considering it.