SPONSORED BY COUNCIL MEMBERS REV. RICKY V. BURGESS, DEBORAH L. GROSS, DARLENE M. HARRIS, BRUCE A. KRAUS, AND COREY O'CONNOR
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Resolution calling on the Director of Finance to create a recognition program an incentive policy using the Market Based Revenue Opportunity Program to encourage small, locally-based businesses to raise the minimum wage for their employees.
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WHEREAS, in 2009 Pennsylvania raised the state's minimum wage from $7.15 an hour to $7.25 to coincide with the federal minimum wage increase; and
WHEREAS, the State minimum wage has not been adjusted to coincide with inflation or to reflect the recent economic downturn, with today's federal minimum wage 22% below the peak minimum wage - in terms of purchasing power - reached in the late 1960s; and
WHEREAS, raising the wage to $10.10 could help minimum-wage workers in Pittsburgh to make positive economic gains and put workers on the path to earning a living wage, but is not invasive enough to negatively affect consumer trends or business; and
WHEREAS, research has shown that higher wages sharply reduce employee turnover which can reduce recruitment and training costs; and
WHEREAS, the Market Based Revenue Opportunity Program was created by the City of Pittsburgh to provide responsible and community-minded guidelines for allowing messaging opportunities on City-owned Assets; and
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh wishes to recognize those local businesses that raise their minimum wage employee's hourly rate to $10.10.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1. The Council of the City of Pittsburgh calls on the Director of Finance to create a recognition program to encourage locally-based businesses to raise the minimum wage for their employees to $10.10 an hour. Should the legal minimum wage be raised to equal $10.10 or more an hour, the recognition program shall be offered to businesses that raise the minimum wage for th...
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