Living Wage
Anyone should have the right to a decent job, a job that pays a wage that allows that person to live in dignity and provide for themselves and their family.Paying a living wage has the potential to:
Taxpayers are subsidizing employers who don't pay living wages.
When people are paid enough to support their families, they pay more taxes and buy more goods and services in the local economy, stimulating growth of neighborhood economies.A Living wage can help provide the benefits of affordable housing; access to HealthCare; paying for Childcare; a reliable means of transportation; a decent education.
When parents are not working several jobs they may have more time to be available for their families and important events like parent-teacher conferences at school and can become more informed voters and active citizens.
The Federal level of poverty for a family of 4 is $24,250 (2015).
Because the Federal poverty standards are so low, only the poorest of the poor are counted in the census studies.
A more realistic figure to support a family of 4 (a Living Wage) is $48,500 or twice the Federal poverty level.
Poverty generates insecurity and difficulty for the rich and the poor alike.
It limits the local market which can make a city appear uninteresting to many kinds of businesses.
Poverty produces ill-prepared workers whose lives are easily disrupted by small things that become catastrophes.
For example, if a worker’s car breaks down or if their child gets sick, the worker cannot get to work or must take time off from work and becomes an “unreliable worker”.
Poverty generates poor health among workers making them even more unreliable and increases the cost of employing them.