There is plenty of herd mentality in city councils up and down the Peninsula as the hue and cry to "Do Something" drowns out common sense. The herd mentality can trample on all sorts of issues. Think back about two years when this happened
On September 21, 2020, the Burlingame City Council adopted an ordinance to establish a minimum wage of $15.00 per hour for all Burlingame businesses beginning January 1, 2021. On January 1, 2022 and every year thereafter, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage increases. A negative CPI will not lower the minimum wage. There are no exceptions for tipped employees.
That has led B'game to a planned January 1, 2023 minimum wage of $15.60+ 2022 CPI. We won't know the final CPI kicker for another 6 months, but figure it will be 7+%. Now San Mateo is preemptively backpedaling hard on their formula as noted in the DJ
To help small businesses coming out of the pandemic struggling with rising costs, San Mateo’s City Council will cap its current minimum wage amid rising inflation. At its June 20 meeting, a council majority recommended setting a Consumer Price Index cap at 3.5% for its minimum wage. The current minimum wage is $16.20 an hour. The council cited the need to help struggling businesses stay afloat, guard against inflation and provide long-term budget stability. Cities use CPI because it is predictable for employers and workers and keeps pace with the rising cost of living.
Someone should tell Janet Yellen about the CPI's predictability. Here is the herd mentality on full display in San Mateo
Mayor Rick Bonilla disagreed with the council majority on a 3.5% cap, calling it too low and suggesting higher rates of around 5%. Bonilla noted minimum wage workers are most affected by a CPI cap and have the most challenging time. “The businesses will take care of themselves. The workers don’t have any other way. There’s nobody else to help them.” Bonilla said. “It’s us. If we don’t, nobody else will.”
Translation: I get to pick the winners and losers in my city and consequences be damned. San Mateo's website does not mention if Bonilla has ever signed the front of a paycheck.
Here's the math on a 7% jump in B'game. $16.70/hr - no ifs, ands, or buts. Happy Independence Day.
You can count on Sacramento to step in to screw things up if the local yokels can't do it. "An initiative that would boost California’s minimum wage — which is set to jump to $15.50 an hour starting Jan. 1 — to $18 per hour is eligible for the November 2024 ballot, Secretary of State Shirley Weber said Thursday. The measure, which failed to qualify for the November 2022 ballot, is set to go before voters in two years." Hey Mom and Pop! Tough nuggies.
Posted by: Handle Bard | July 11, 2022 at 12:50 PM
This piece in yesterday's DJ caught my eye. If you missed the lefty bias in the piece, I will point it out to you:
Minimum wage hike in Half Moon Bay may stop public benefits
Officials weighing whether it’s worth it for workers
A proposed $20 minimum wage in Half Moon Bay could be implemented in a variety of ways, city staff presented amidst concerns that the increase could potentially remove low-income residents from receiving public benefits.
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City staff have "concerns". They are not "hopeful" that a big bump in the minimum wage will reduce dependency on welfare payouts....they're "concerned". Are they "concerned" about HMB employers?
Posted by: Joe | February 28, 2024 at 01:09 PM