Posted on 01/18/2006 4:13:39 PM PST by LouAvul
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) - Labor leaders in this left-leaning coastal city have launched a controversial campaign to raise the minimum wage to $9.25 an hour, $2.50 more than the state-mandated minimum.
Workers need the bump to keep up with the area's high housing costs, and businesses have an obligation to pay "responsible wages" when the state minimum isn't enough, city officials and community activists said at a news conference at City Hall on Tuesday.
The campaign has gained the endorsement of four of the City Council's seven members, but some opponents said it will drive businesses out and make it harder to attract new companies. If the drive is successful, Santa Cruz would join only a handful of other cities, including San Francisco and Santa Fe, that have their own minimum wages.
Supporters point to a University of California, Berkeley study that concluded that San Francisco's higher minimum wage of $8.82 an hour has raised prices throughout the city but did not trigger layoffs or business collapses.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
That is the whole reason behind it. Santa Cruz has a bloated public employee payroll. Public employee unions will get automatic pay increases. Meanwhile, private sector employees, consumers and property owners will get the shaft.
Of course, being as far left as Santa Cruz is, the idiots get what they vote for... it is a Mecca for dope, bums, and political grifters.
Just wait, the Beach Flats and other areas are about to experience a spike in gang violence, it is a long time comin'. They don't allow the police to cooperate with INS and have this Orwellian police review board. Being a policeman in that town is pointless, unless of course you got roots there or a big stake in the pension plan.
NOTHING that happens in Santa Cruz surprises me anymore... ain't that right Carry_Okie???
Looks like Mc Donald's will have a $6 Big Mac.
Maybe there will be some job that Americans won't do now that they will do then.
Not everyone living in a $1/$2 Million dollar home paid anything close to that.....
If one were to have carefully selected and purchased as much home as they could afford - 30 years ago.... They currently live in a home and neighborhood FAR beyond what they could afford if they had to buy today....
My home is not an unusual example for this area.....and it's market value has increased to more than 12 times what I paid for it....
Homes in the neighborhood sell in less than a month, typically over the asking price with multiple offers..
It's NUTS!
Having purchased long enough ago, we are protected against criminal taxes by Prop 13..
I pay less that $1600 per year in property taxes....living near a fellow who bought a smaller and less valuable home SEVERAL years ago who must pay property taxes of approx. $9000 per year.... I can't imagine what the property taxes must be on folks who buy today - at prices between 1 and 2 million.
The foolish ones, borrowing against their equity and living even further beyond their means.... They will ultimately have to sell - since they can't make payments on the equity loans and will end up with nothing but grossly depreciated "goods or vehicles" purchased with the loans...
The smarter ones, await their scheduled date for leaving the area -- cashing out --- buying a dream home in a lower cost of housing area -- and using the cash balance for quality of life and security.....back "home"..
Semper Fi
Santa Cruz is the embodiment of Slave Party corruption, the model for Sustainable Development, and the county where the Agenda21 was first implemented.
In Santa Cruz, there is no such thing as "too far."
I'm so glad I don't live there.
Actually, the median home price for a single family home in Santa Cruz County is $750,000 while the median price for a condominium averages between $400,000 and $550,000.
At least that is according to the local realestate web sites.
http://www.homegain.com/local_real_estate/CA/santa_cruz.html
Asking UCB to weigh in on whether a socialist intrusion into business is helpful or harmful is like asking your kid if it's ok to eat cookies for supper.
I think this is a great idea!
And while they're at it, make it a requirement that every person hire at least one other person at $9.25/hour to do stuff for them.
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