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By Tom Sharpe The New Mexican |
December 15, 2005
The Santa Fe City Council late Wednesday agreed to allow the city’s
minimum wage to increase to $9.50 an hour on Jan. 1.
But the measure included requiring a vote on any future increases, such
as the proposed hike to $10.50 in 2008.
More than 60 people — religious leaders , politicians, union organizers,
business owners, students, teenagers and the developmentally disabled —
lined up to say they like the city’s minimum wage and want to see it
increase.
Five spoke in favor of Councilor David Pfeffer’s proposal to postpone the
rise to $9.50 of the Living Wage Ordinance for at least six months.
Councilor Patti Bushee moved to amend Pfeffer’s proposal so that the
$9.50 an hour goes into effect as proposed in the original law, but also
required a vote on subsequent increases instead of having them go into
effect automatically. It passed 7-1 .
Pfeffer was the only dissenting vote. He said he worked three jobs while
going to college, and he cannot afford to buy a house in his council
district.
“It’s nobody’s fault except my own that I ain’t got the bucks,” said
Pfeffer, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
One of the evening’s most dramatic moments came when Colin Holmes, who
has Down syndrome, described how the city’s minimum wage of $8.50 an
hour, implemented 18 months ago, has allowed him to work as a bagger at
Whole Foods while taking art, fashion and karate courses.
“In the future, I would like to get an apartment and to get married,” he
said, carefully reading from notes. “That’s why I need the living wage of
$9.50, just like everybody else.”
Julie Dalness, 17, described herself as a proud member of Warehouse 21
who depends on the city’s minimum wage to get by without the help of her
parents.
“How am I supposed to support my American princess wants and survive on
my own on any less than $9.50?” she asked. “How am I supposed to help
youth in crisis and look hip doing it without the minimum wage?”
Eduardo Holguin, a former fifth-grade teacher in Las
Cruces , now president of the New
Mexico chapter of the National Education
Association, said student achievement is linked to social status. He said
Santa Fe’s minimum wage
allows parents to spend more time with their children because they are
not required to work two or more jobs to make a living.
Delma DeLora, president of the nurses’ union at St.
Vincent Regional Medical
Center, led chants at an
impromptu rally at Sweeney Convention
Center, when the council left about 200
people waiting for more than a half-hour before beginning the evening
session.
Among the business owners who spoke in favor of going to $9.50 an hour
were Larry Keller of the Design Center, construction contractor Frank
Ragano and Dennis Branch, a developer who said people need to make at
least $15.50 an hour to afford the least expensive houses in town.
Religious leaders supporting the wage included Rabbi Marvin Schwab of
Temple Beth Shalom, whose letter was read by Leslie Lakind, a dentist;
Anthony Padilla, a deacon at St. Anthony Parish; and the Rev. Richard
Murphy of St. Bede’s Episcopal Church.
Some advocates of the increase have been on opposite sides of past
issues. — Louis Montaño , a former mayor running for the City Council
next year who supports Wal-Mart’s plan for a Supercenter, and Elaine
Sullivan of the Santa Fe Business Alliance, which was active in opposing
the Wal-Mart plan.
Sam Adelo interpreted for people who spoke in Spanish, including Lela
Maldonado, who told the council she has benefited from the $8.50-an-hour
level, but needs the extra $1 to keep up with rising bills.
Among those speaking in favor of Pfeffer’s proposed amendment were the
managers of several home-health-care businesses who said their revenues
are dependent on Medicaid funding and they cannot afford to pay the higher
wages.
Simon Brackley, vice president of public affairs for the Santa Fe Chamber
of Commerce , questioned the accuracy of Bureau of Business and Economic
Research’s analysis because many of its figures were for the entire
county, not the city. Also, he said, the period studied included the
post-Sept . 11 recovery.
“When making previous decisions, the City Council has asked to get as
many facts as possible before coming to any conclusions,” he said. “We
believe this is a critical case where the council should act in a prudent
manner and wait until the full facts are in before making such an
important decision.”
Naomi Montoya also called on the council to be careful. She said the
national media is looking carefully at Santa Fe’s minimum-wage ordinance,
and it would be unfortunate if the result causes New Mexico to appear in
a negative light. Contact Tom Sharpe at 995-3813 or tsharpe@sfnewmexican
.com.
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