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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, February 14, 2019:
Councilwoman Cherelle Parker's remarks upon introduction of Bill No. 190102:
“An Ordinance providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter calling on the General Assembly to provide for a decent, living wage, as approved by Resolution of the City Council; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot question to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.”
Read the bill: http://bit.ly/2BD9xXD
A
Thank
You,
mr.
president,
on
behalf
of
and
in
partnership
with
the
administration,
I
am
proud
to
join
with
the
co-sponsors
councilman
marks,
Willa
and
Councilwoman
Blondell
Reynolds
Browne,
and
introducing
this
legislation
because
far
too
often
the
collective
voice
of
Philadelphia
residents
does
not
seem
to
be
heard
at
the
state
level.
This
legislation
will
put
the
following
question
on
the
May
21st
ballot.
Shall
the
Philadelphia
Home
Rule
Charter
be
amended
to
call
on
the
General
Assembly
to
either
increase
the
Pennsylvania
minimum
wage
now
so
that
it
reaches
$15
an
hour
and
stages
by
2025
or
mr.
A
president,
allowed
the
city
of
Philadelphia
itself
to
provide
for
a
decent
family
sustaining
living
wage
for
work?
In
philadelphians?
With
such
a
ballot
question,
we
shall
allow
the
citizens
of
Philadelphia
to
formally
weigh
in
on
a
state-level
policy
issue.
For
those
who
may
not
know
Pennsylvania's
minimum
wage
of
$7.25
an
hour
has
been
unchanged
for
the
past
ten
years,
while
the
cost
of
living
has
risen
more
than
13%
since
2009.
A
Contrary
to
what
many
people
believe
the
average
employee
earning
minimum
wage
is
not
a
teenager
working,
a
part-time
job.
According
to
the
Economic
Policy
Institute,
the
typical
worker,
who
would
benefit
from
a
$15
minimum
wage,
is
a
35
year
old
woman
with
some
college-level
coursework
who
works
full-time
and
raising
the
minimum
wage
to
$15
will
be
particularly
significant
for
workers
of
color.
Nearly
two-fifths,
that's
38%
of
african-americans
and
one-third.
That's
33%
of
Latinos
would
get
a
raise
if
the
federal
minimum
wage
were
increased
to
$15
now.
A
Furthermore,
Pennsylvanians
as
a
whole
would
benefit
if
that
action
ever
took
place.
If
the
minimum
wage
were
incrementally
increased
to
$15
per
hour
by
the
time
of
full
time
implementation
over
a
quarter
of
a
million
of
philadelphia
residents,
that's
nearly
half
of
our
workforce.
They
would
be
affected
by
the
wage
increase.
Now
my
co-sponsors
on
this
legislation
have
been
avid
supporters
of
raising
the
minimum
wage
in
Philadelphia.
We
also
know
that
mayor
Kenney
signed
into
law
legislation
sponsored
by
our
colleague
councilman
mark
Squealer.
A
Raising
the
minimum
wage.
Mr.
president,
is
not
a
new
idea,
and
while
I
love
for
Pennsylvania
to
be
a
leader
on
this
issue,
we
are
actually
well
behind
others.
Currently,
there
31
states
and
41
cities
in
the
United
States
that
have
minimum
wage
levels
higher
than
the
federal
minimum
wage
of
725
per
hour.
Furthermore,
this
is
very
important
to
know.
Private
local
employers,
like
Jefferson,
have
recently
raised
their
minimum
wage
to
$15
an
hour
without
any
legislative
incentive.
To
do
so,
Jefferson
did
that
on
its
own
and
they
are
to
be
commended.
A
Philadelphians
have
a
right
to
counteract
the
narrow
to
that.
Raising
the
minimum
wage
is
a
job
killer.
This
ballot
question
will
allow
Philadelphians
to
say
if
they
so
choose,
that
raising
the
minimum
wage
is
not
a
job
killer.
In
reality,
it's
an
inequality,
killer,
it's
a
poverty
reducer,
it's
a
people,
digna
fire
and
it's
a
work-life
balance.
Er
and,
most
importantly,
it
gives
philadelphians
the
right
to
make
sure
their
voices
are
heard.
Thank
You,
mr.
president,
and
thank
you,
colleagues
for
your
patience,
Thank
You,
Councilwoman
and
that
she'll
be
referred
to
the
appropriate
committee.