Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Amendments Extend Wage Law Positives

By Rebecca Wurzburger and Buddy Roybal
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    Five years ago the two of us were both unsure of the potential impacts of Santa Fe's landmark living wage law. Although supportive of the wage in concept, as City Councilor I was uncomfortable with the fact that the proposed ordinance had no plan for evaluating its impact, particularly on smaller business. Similarly Buddy, a local business owner, was concerned about the unintended consequences of the law, particularly on young people and all local business.
    Today we both strongly support the proposed amendments to the living wage ordinance. They will extend coverage so that all workers in Santa Fe will earn a minimum of $9.50 per hour, not just those in businesses with 25 or more employees. This will mean that instead of covering only 60 percent of workers, the law will cover all of them. The amendments also include an automatic annual cost of living increase starting in 2009, so that inflation does not erode the value of the $9.50 minimum wage.
    We are not alone in our support of these proposed changes. Virtually all labor, religious, civic and business organizations in Santa Fe support them. By passing the amendments, with no other changes, the City Council will be respecting an historic agreement forged by this community. That, in turn, will encourage greater efforts at community consensus building on other difficult and divisive issues.
    A series of studies by the University of New Mexico, a requirement included in the original living wage law, has made it possible for us to know the actual impact of the living wage. Rather than just theories from both sides about what might happen, today we know that the living wage is working. Employment is up and the inflationary effect of the wage is minimal.
    The coming together of our community around this compromise has built trust and opened up opportunities to make progress in other areas. For example, the Living Wage Network and the Santa Fe Alliance are working with the Santa Fe Community College and some public school educators to expand mentorships and apprenticeships for young people in cooperation with local businesses. This will help prepare a broader and clearer path for non-college-bound students to learn more about, and be trained for, good-paying job opportunities in Santa Fe.
    Join with us in supporting the proposed amendments to the Living Wage Ordinance. This is important to our current local business and youth.

Wurzburger is a Santa Fe City Councilor representing District 2. Buddy Roybal is the owner of Coronado Paint & Tile, winner of the 2005 City of Santa Fe Small Business Award, and is the president of the board of the Santa Fe Alliance, which represents over 600 local businesses in Santa Fe.