Here’s an example of how not to help the working-class: Question 5, which would raise the pay of tipped workers to $15 an hour. Similar to the views of the Globe’s Shirley Leung, I’m a ‘no’ vote on Question 5 because I question whether A.) referendum voters can and should be determining the pay of workers in specific industries and B.) whether restaurant workers really want this. …

Re voters deciding how much to pay workers: It’s similar to the nurse staffing referendum a few years back. How the heck is the average voter supposed to know how many nurses should be on a typical hospital shift? It’s a ridiculous question to ask voters. … Re whether restaurants workers really want a change: Working in restaurants is one of the last truly egalitarian jobs in America. Whether college-educated or not, it’s almost a rite of passage for young people to work in a restaurant. And one of the reasons why this strange and distinctly American payment system works is because there’s the incentive of potentially big paydays for tipped workers.

Update — From a reader: “RE your restaurant post – Eli Feldman is GM of Shy Bird (Kendall Square, South Boston) and Branch Line (Watertown) – writes a great Substack, go-to on restaurant economics but many other related ideas.    He had a great summary of Question 5 earlier this month: One Bad Idea.