FSRN: Examining Measure G, Santa Cruz's Wage Hike Ballot Initiative

Congress has repeatedly failed to bump up the minimun wage, and since 1997 it has remained at $5.15/hr. Since then, 19 states and 3 cities, have raised base pay rates higher than the federal minimum, while scores more cities have enacted living wage laws for government contractors. This November, voters in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio will decide whether or not to raise their own hourly base pay. In Santa Cruz, CA the year's hottest election issue is Measure G, a city-wide proposal to raise the minimum wage to $9.25/hr. FSRN's Vinny Lombardo examines the potential impacts on the Santa Cruz economy.