Living Wage Tests The Character Of Our City

By Todd Flora

I moved to Santa Monica over five years ago largely by accident, not yet aware how lucky I was to have found an affordable apartment in a great location. Today, I never want to leave my city by the sea, the place I genuinely call home.

Since that time, I've seen a lot of challenges confront our city, and met a lot of courageous people that face them each day. One watershed issue for many of us is affordable housing and rent control. In 1998, the State Legislature passed "vacancy decontrol," whereby a rent-controlled unit goes to market rate once a tenant moves out. This policy has invited a whole new era of tenant harassment and gentrification of our neighborhoods. Forget a diverse Santa Monica. Young professionals, seniors, and other low-income residents have two choices - they can struggle to rent here, or they can leave.

But I have also learned that it's much, much worse for many people who work in Santa Monica, most of whom could never dream of actually living here. Things are particularly tough for the low-wage tourism workers in Santa Monica's "Coastal Zone," the area most of us know as the Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, Main St. - and, most importantly, "hotel row."

Realizing that many tourism workers don't earn enough to support their families, in January 2000 the Santa Monica City Council wisely ordered an economic study of a proposed "living wage" ordinance. The study found that, in fact, nearly 2,000 tourism workers required taxpayer assistance despite working full time, often at two jobs. It further found that a living wage would help lift these workers out of poverty - and off of the public dole - and that the big hotels and wealthier businesses could afford to pay the wage.

It's no surprise to policy watchers that the big hotels can afford to pay their workers more. The city decided some years ago to pour millions of dollars into creating a profitable environment for businesses in the Coastal Zone. The city bankrolled infrastructure improvements along the Pier and beaches. They remodeled and revitalized the Promenade, including constructing the high-rise parking lots to make room for shoppers and restaurant patrons. All told, the hotels and other businesses benefited from over $180 million in public expenditures.

So, in July 2001, after much deliberation and public input, the City Council passed a $10.50 living wage that would get these hard-working people off public assistance. The ordinance also considered small-business concerns by requiring only companies with $5 million in gross receipts or more to comply, and including a hardship exemption for businesses that could prove the wage would adversely affect their growth.

But alas, the big hotels that had been given so much hit the streets the very next day to collect signatures to put the issue on the ballot. Supporters of low-wage tourism workers now find themselves working to pass Proposition JJ, a referendum to affirm an ordinance that should already be in place for those putting in the most work to keep our Coastal Zone a profitable environment.

I became involved in the living wage campaign because I was proud of the fact that I lived in a progressive city that wanted to use its great wealth to help those that work hard, but are still in need. Instead, I once again have to listen to a vocal minority of wealthy business owners who apparently believe that it's acceptable to pay workers so little that they must rely on public assistance to make ends meet. They have contributed nearly $2 million to stop the living wage - money that would be much better spent on better pay and benefits for their employees.

I want to live in a city whose leaders make innovative, cutting-edge decisions that challenge political orthodoxy. I want to live in a city where business leaders understand that investing in workers lowers absenteeism, builds employee loyalty, and reduces training costs. I want to live in a city that gives those that work here at least a shot of affording to live here. I want to live in the kind of city that would pass a living wage ordinance.

This November, we have an opportunity to speak loudly and clearly about the kind of city in which we would like to live. Quite frankly, it's "gut check" time. Will we be a city that believes we should vote with conservative ideologues and their baseless, "sky is falling" fear mongering, while the working poor only dream of making ends meet? Or will we be a city that supports a proven method of lifting low-wage workers out of poverty, and off of taxpayer assistance, while minimally affecting the wealthy businesses that employ them?

I hope you will stand with me and thousands of others to vote Yes on Measure JJ, the living wage. It's the kind of city Santa Monica should be.

Todd Flora is State Director of the California Clean Money Campaign, and is an active volunteer with Human Rights Watch and Heal the Bay.