Dear Friend:


This fall, San Diego City Council will decide the fate of the city’s
living wage ordinance. The outcome of this decision will not only lift
thousands of families
out of poverty, but will also have a significant impact on the national
movement, as San Diego is extremely conservative and extraordinarily
expensive city.



In order to provide San Diego City Councilmembers with further assurance
about the living wage law, we have drafted a letter and are seeking
endorsements from economists and other academics. This letter will be
released to the media and to the general public.



We ask you to consider offering your endorsement and sign onto the
letter below.



To review the San Diego living wage ordinance, go to
http://www.sdlivingwage.org/publications/SDLivingWageProposal.pdf



To review impact studies of other living wage policies, please visit our
website at http://www.sdlivingwage.org/Research/Research.htm



We are asking for endorsements to be submitted by October 1.



Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with your name, university,
department, and title.



Thank you for considering this request.



Sincerely,





Donald Cohen

President

Center on Policy Initiatives





LETTER FROM ECONOMISTS IN SUPPORT OF LIVING WAGE

The San Diego City Council is currently reviewing a living wage
ordinance for city employees, employees under city contract, and
employees
of businesses that receive economic development subsidies.



More than 109 jurisdictions throughout the country have passed similar
living wage legislation. These laws are a response to the widespread
reality of stagnant or declining wages, which have left millions of
Americans – even those working full-time –   unable to afford basic
necessities for themselves and their families.



As economists, we believe that living wage legislation is an important
tool for improving the living standards of working Americans.  Research
has consistently shown that these laws provide tangible benefits to the
low-wage workers they cover as well as their families.  Recent work has
also demonstrated that living wage laws provide additional benefits at
the workplace itself, such as reduced turnover, lower rates of
absenteeism, as well as improved employee morale and performance.  The
evidence also shows that living wage laws have minimal adverse
effects on local employment and city expenditures.



It is our belief that a living wage ordinance would improve the living
standards for affected workers in San Diego.  We also believe that
the ordinance strives to minimize any negative economic impact, limiting
its application and including a hardship exemption
process for non-profits.



We support San Diego's diligent attempt to address the problem of
working poverty, and offer our endorsement of the San
Diego Responsible Wage and Health Care Benefits Ordinance.





--

Michael Perelman
Economics Department
California State University
michael at ecst.csuchico.edu
Chico, CA 95929
530-898-5321
fax 530-898-5901

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