Petition drive frustration
The minimum-wage campaign, whose members worked very hard to gather thousands of signatures on petitions over the past year, met with apparent final rejection by the Greensboro City Council late in a very long meeting Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.
We never supported this issue editorially, believing that higher wages come from better jobs and, ultimately, from having a well-educated work force.
The city attorney's office also argued that state law doesn't allow cities to set a minimum wage higher than the statewide minimum wage.
Finally, there was much confusion about the initiative and referendum process set out in city codes, particularly how to calculate the number of signatures required.
The entire episode has created frustration and some bitterness. It's regrettable that there wasn't better communication from the outset, which perhaps could have averted a lot of trouble and turmoil.
We think the power of citizen initiative and referendum is important. Residents shouldn't be made to feel the process is stacked against them, as some do now. True, citizens should strive to fully educate themselves. In this case, petitioners made a pretty obvious mistake and came up short on signatures, but people also should be given clear advice from city staff about all the requirements from the outset. These are provisions in the city codes, and the city has a responsibility to help residents utilize them.
Comments (7)
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DC: "These are provisions in the city codes, and the city has a responsibility to help residents utilize them."
Doug, I don't understand this statement. Why would the city be responsible to "coach" citizens on how to petition against the city? They won't do it, just ask the city's legal department.
Another unusual aspect in the MW petition is the petitioners never asked the city council to adopt their petition before they began to collect signatures.
That's like starting to fight without knowing if you have a disagreement or not.
Posted on January 17, 2008 2:38 PM
What a coincidence that you should have this particular topic brought up. Just this morning, as I waiting to catch my bus, a petitioner came up to me and ask me to sign the peition. I did.
The only problem I see, is that, it would not be practical for it to called the "Living Wage Act."
Should this be approved (which it never will), most people who are presently under the current federal minimum wage act, would be disqualified from the many social and federal programs that are being offered to them. Such as medicaid, food stamps, WIC, etc., and not to mention government subsidy for housing.
And to what effect, as to how high this "living wage" will continue?
Yes, evidently they (the organizers for the petition) were either misinformed or misunderstood, on the process for filing a petition to bring it to the voters, via the ballot.
I signed the petition only because it had some validity, as far as increasing the mandated federal and state minimum wage. As to say, that it needs to be raised due to the inflationary costs of living.
But, God bless them all. The intent is good. The presentation was sound. The effectiveness will never happen.
Posted on January 17, 2008 2:53 PM
Thanks, Tony. You're correct that primary responsibility belongs to petitioners.
Let me take another stab, and this is after speaking with Mike Barber, the only attorney on the City Council and, as you know, an opponent of the MW petition.
He feels the petition process is important but too confusing as written in the city code. He's prepared to support a rewrite to streamline the process.
You shouldn't have to hire a lawyer to start a petition drive. The city should have procedures that are as user-friendly as possible.
Posted on January 17, 2008 2:53 PM
thinker, was today the first time you were asked to sign? If so, the organizers weren't getting around as much as they should have. I've been asked a couple of times, and I don't live in Greensboro. (I didn't sign.)
Posted on January 17, 2008 3:18 PM
Yes, this was the first time I was approached to sign the petition. Yet, I knew of this movement back in 1998?, that is ten years ago.
I am surprise that as much as this has been reported in the media, that it is taking it's toll
on the organizers.
Well, democracy didn't come overnight.
Posted on January 17, 2008 3:32 PM
Remedial economics-
All of the do-gooder, guilt-driven desire to control the economy will not void this simple fact-
Nothing can make competitors agree more than a general increase in the cost of doing business, Anyone who thinks that producers will not pass the cost of increased payroll on to the consumer is living in a fantasy. That includes government. Those who "benefit" from baseless inflation of the competetive wage will pay more in taxes to support the very government that collects those taxes,as well as more for the consumer goods they require.
Much like "free healthcare", there is no free lunch.
Most folks I talk to are unaware that payroll is the single biggest expense of almost all business.
Here is your end of lesson quiz. Answer in 250 words or less.
If a "living wage" is desirable, why not make the national minimum wage $50,000?
Final thought- McDonalds, not the government, determines minimum wage.
Posted on January 18, 2008 6:32 AM
WJ Willis you are 100% on target. When is the last time NC raised the dependant amount on your state taxes. Anyone know? I guess that is not subject to inflation?Of course a brain dead bird can figure out that the merchants on the Va. border would love this. That already have their parking lots full of NC savings on NC sales tax. I did not check this morning, gas runs between 20-25 cents per gallon less in Va. That might explain why all these trucks are filled with gas cans. I go to Tennessee each month, I fill up in Va. and in Tenn. Save about $6.00.
Posted on January 18, 2008 7:21 AM