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Irvine’s city council may vote today to a repeal price-fixing law affectionately known as the “Living Wage” ordinance.
The median minimum wage worker
Earlier this year, the Irvine finance commission was having problems letting a contract. The contractors claimed the problem was the Irvine “Living Wage” ordinance — but not for the reason you think. The contractors didn’t mind paying the higher wage — they were spending Irvine’s money, after all — they balked at the requirement that they pay that higher wage to any employee they had in Orange County.
One of the finance commissioners suggested that the additional requirement be scrapped. At today’s special city council meeting, the Irvine City Council appears set to go a step further and repeal the entire measure (pdf).
Economists know how to help the working poor: The Earned Income Tax Credit. Even Warren Buffet supports the EITC.
But who does a “Living Wage” help? Here’s a test. Conjure in your mind’s eye a worker you think worthy of help. Did you envision a white teenager working part time in food service? Because “white teenager working part time” describes the typical minimum wage worker.
The fiscal impact for Irvine, either way, is actually pretty small. Irvine can easily afford this, which is another hint that the “Living Wage” isn’t helping much. Less than a tenth of the city budget is even affected (fifteen city contracts with a total annual value of $18.6 million – less than Irvine paid Forde and Mollrich.) Also, cynics might note that the odd construction of Irvine’s “Living Wage” law makes it harder for non-Irvine based firms to bid on City of Irvine contracts. Not that any Irvine politician would ever stoop to steering a contract to a local “friend.”
Repealing Irvine’s counter-productive price fixing rule is a good start. However, it’s not enough. Increasing the EITC is obviously a good idea. Improving access to health care would relieve the greatest single stress faced by most working families. Effective transit quickly and cheaply improve the possibilities for those trying to work their way out of poverty.
If Irvine is serious about helping the working poor, the City Council should stop trying to repeal the laws of economics and instead take the millions being wasted annually on empty I-shuttles and spend that on mobility solutions for Irvine’s most vulnerable workers.
Why is the I shuttle still running?
How else are the girls going to get to my soccer practices Zenger?
Dan D. Stalker,
Your kind of Anonymous shenanigans are what Greg, Dave, Ryan and Cynthia (The last one being completely IRONIC/HYPOCRITICAL) bitch about repeatedly.
Yet somehow it’s OK to bash Dan Chmielewski, Matt Cunningham, Vince Sarmiento anonymously????
At the risk of calling the OJB: HYPOCRITES I ask, why are cowardly anonymous attacksdifferent from those Greg, Ryan,the disgraced David Zenger different than what we see repeatedly.
Is the answer that simple, that you, just like the other OC BLOGS are mere propaganda?
Please spare us your bullshit answers and admit what we KNOW: you are voiceless tools.
Hey “Coward,” just relax and enjoy a little light-hearted humor. Unlike the slander that some anonymous commenters – whom we might chide or even censor – purvey.
Mentioning Sarmiento is a giveaway. Choose another one-time-use IP address.
Anonymous Coward??? That best describes 99% of the commenters on the “award winning” blog.
99%? LOL, how would you reach a figure like that? Lucky if they get that many COMMENTS in a year, let alone commenters.
As I posted there earlier, “Nice blog you got here. Shame if anybody noticed it.” I was being complimentary.
Dude,
I have no idea what you’re trying to say.
Cheers,
RC
If any of these usual suspects wanted to launch vicious attacks against Matt Cunningham, they would never fail to mention that Matt Cunningham outed sex abuse victims. Alas they frequently fail to mention it, and by “it” I mean the fact that Matt Cunningham outed sex abuse victims.