Economic Justice in S.B.

Living-wage activists call for 'economic justice' in S.B.

4/25/05
By MELISSA EVANS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER


Supporters of a plan to raise the wages paid by businesses that contract with the city of Santa Barbara rallied Sunday in hopes of convincing the City Council to pass an ordinance in the next few weeks.

Many who attended a panel discussion at the Junipero Serra Hall are activists in the religious community who called on leaders to pass a living wage increase for both moral and economic reasons.

"Church and government must promote economic justice because the . . . market certainly will not," City Councilman Das Williams said.

Organized by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, or CLUE, the panel included the Rev. Mark Asman of Trinity Episcopal Church, Patricia Sandall of CLUE, Jarrod Schwartz of the National Conference for Community Justice, Hillary Blackerby of the UCSB Campus Democrats and Miguel Azteca of PUEBLO.

Participants want the City Council to pass a living wage increase that would bring the minimum salary to $13.40 per hour, or to $15.40 for those without medical benefits. The increase would apply to about 200 contractors who work with the city and about 24 nonprofit organizations that receive city money. It would also cover about 300 city employees who hold part-time or seasonal positions.

The council has endorsed the idea, but after several years of discussion has not passed any increase. It will likely take the issue up again in about a month, organizers said.

Critics fear the increase would be bad for business and would add even more burden to a city budget that is already stretched thin. Supporters, however, said those who cannot afford to live in Santa Barbara County are already sapping tax dollars because they have no medical insurance or receive low-income assistance.

Some are forced to work multiple jobs, which leads to poor quality of life and more cars on the road, and detracts from family life, the Rev. Asman said.

"Our belief is that our common humanity is inherently good," he said. "And our common goal is to support and nurture all people."

Ms. Sandall, who has served on city committees that have studied the increase, said a worker has to earn more than $21 an hour to afford a place to live in Santa Barbara County. The living wage increase is based on Housing and Urban Development statistics for a single person renting a studio apartment.

Mr. Williams, who read passages from the Bible that speak to the need for helping workers, said the increase could affect wages paid to all workers even though it only applies to city employees. He said it would give private companies and workers a sense of what they should be paying or making.

In the changing economy, contractors who once made $20 an hour now feel fortunate making $7 an hour, he said. "Our core values, which have been handed down through generations, are very clear: You will take care of people and do justice," Mr. Williams said. "I have to say, this country is doing a terrible job at that. . . .This should make us very angry."

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Living-wage activists call for 'economic justice' in S.B. ]