Details on a proposed ballot measure aimed at raising the minimum wage in San Diego are scheduled to be released Wednesday by Todd Gloria, City Council president, and other proponents.
Gloria, the primary supporter of the plan, has scheduled a noon news conference at City Hall. Councilwoman Sherri Lightner and Peter Brownell, the research director of the Center on Policy Initiatives, are also scheduled to participate.
Advocates want to present an initiative to voters in November that would provide a “meaningful” increase in the minimum wage for all people working in San Diego by
- tying pay rates to a cost-of-living index that would be updated annually;
- allowing a phase-in period that gives more time for small businesses and nonprofits to raise pay; and
- giving five days of earned sick leave for all employees, regardless of industry or business type.
The minimum wage in California is $8 per hour. The state plans an increase to $9 an hour in July and $10 an hour in two years.
The Center on Policy Initiatives, which supports a wage increase, estimates that a single person living on a stripped-down budget needs to make a $13.09 hourly wage to live in San Diego. Around 300,000 households in the region have incomes too low to meet basic expenses, according to the CPI.
Some interest groups have called for an even higher minimum wage. While Gloria has yet to specify an amount, he has cautioned supporters that a ballot measure needs to be crafted so that it has a chance to succeed with voters.
Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Councilman Mark Kersey have called for an independent study on the potential impact of a minimum wage increase. Business groups say they want to see the proposed amount before they take a stand on the issue.
– City News Service
