Election - November 6, 2012
Santa Clara County

Measure D:
City of San Jose
Minimum Wages
(
25% increase)

SVTA recommends a NO vote
against Measure D.



Shall an ordinance be adopted that (1) requires (a) payment of minimum wages in San José at $10 per hour with an annual increase, if any, based on the Consumer Price Index beginning January 1, 2014; (b) City enforcement through fines, penalties, civil actions, or revocation or suspension of permits or licenses; and (c) voter approval of substantive changes to the ordinance; and (2) allows private enforcement through civil actions?

You may read the Full Text and Impartial Analysis of Measure D here.


 Argument in Favor of Measure D
 Argument Against Measure D

Do you believe $8 an hour is too little to live on in San Jose? If your answer is "yes," then vote "yes" on Measure D.

Measure D increases the minimum wage in San Jose from $8 to $10. That's all it does, but that single action is of real importance to tens of thousands of local families.

Measure D sets our minimum wage at a level that reflects our values and our sense of fairness. It means that those who work hard and play by the rules can earn a livable wage, pay their bills, and take care of their kids.

Measure D recognizes the difficulty of earning the state minimum in one of the highest cost cities in the country. San Jose rents average $1,800 a month. That's $400 more than the monthly pay of a minimum wage worker.

Fortunately, increasing the minimum wage is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. When low-wage workers receive a raise, they spend virtually every dollar close to home. That is likely to help small neighborhood businesses. Raising the minimum wage will generate an estimated $70 million dollars in demand for local goods and services. More local spending leads to more local hiring.

Outside political interests will probably contribute record amounts to defeat Measure D. Many of these groups lobbied against raising the state minimum wage when it was only $6 an hour. They falsely argue a higher minimum wage will lead to the loss of jobs although they know leading economists have repeatedly refuted this phony claim. These groups have relentlessly opposed any effort to raise the minimum wage. Their values are not our values.

$8.00 is too low for San Jose. Vote "yes" on Measure D.

Michael M. Honda
Member of Congress

Geovanno Belaski
Owner, Azucar Latin Bistro

Judy Chirco
Small Business Owner

Norman Kline
Small business Owner

H. Robyn Levine
Owner, Details Clothing Co.

It's simple: Measure D means some people will get paid more, but a lot more people will lose their jobs or have their hours cut.

Measure D raises the government mandated minimum wage by 25 percent. And most small businesses say they will have to cut jobs or raise prices to stay open.

Measure D means you'll have to pay more for groceries, gas - even a hamburger.

And it will hurt those who need help the most. Goodwill Industries, which helps train people with disabilities, estimates that if this measure passes it will have to cut 100 job-training positions.

John Hogan from TeenForce - a non-profit group that helps find jobs and training for young people - says: "We do need to look at the minimum wage - but not like this, not this fast. It will make it harder for us to find jobs for kids who need them."

Measure D will add to city bureaucracy - costing city taxpayers more than $600,000 per year, every year. And that's just the start. And, every business in the city will face audits and will be forced to open their financial records for 4 years, costing even more.

Congress is already considering a bill to raise the minimum wage for every American - and without all the flaws of Measure D.

We all want residents to make more money, but Measure D is too much, too fast and too flawed. It hurts non-profits group's ability to help those who need help the most. It will mean fewer jobs in San Jose and make it harder to grow our economy. But it will grow city expenses and create a costly new City Hall bureaucracy.

Chuck Reed
Mayor of San Jose

Jeanne Katsuro
Owner, Classic Rock Jewelry, Japantown, San Jose

James Duran
Co-Chair, California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Public Policy Committee

John Hogan
CEO TeenForce

Matt Mahood
President & CEO, San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber

Rebuttal to
Argument in Favor of Measure D

 Rebuttal to
Argument Against Measure D

 

Proponents of Measure D claims it only raises wages and creates jobs.

Both claims are simply false - and anyone who reads Measure D can see it.

Measure D does a lot more than raise wages: it creates a costly new city bureaucracy, it authorizes the City to audit every business in San Jose, and it allows more lawsuits. It also raises the minimum wage every year, with no cap.

Proponents claim that increasing wage costs will he1p businesses grow. Common sense tells you that such a claim is false. Independent surveys show that businesses owners are clear what they will have to do: cut jobs or hours, or raise prices to make up the difference.

In fact, Measure D will hurt those who need help the most - non-profit groups who provide job training and medical care. It will cripple cultural groups that rely on paid interns (who exchange training and opportunity for less pay). And it will mean fewer opportunities for young people or those trying to transition to a new career.

Big labor spent a lot of money to put Measure D on the ballot. Labor Council leader Cindy Chavez has brought in labor organizers to push for Measure D. This isn't about fixing our economy, balancing the budget or creating jobs - it's about Big Labor's national agenda hurting small businesses. And it will cripple San Jose's fragile recovery.

Say no to more city bureaucracy and frivolous lawsuits.
Say no to Cindy Chavez' wage hike.
Vote NO on D.

Chuck Reed
Mayor of San Jose

Annie Le
Owner, Lee's Sandwiches

Jan Schneider
Owner, R&J Jewelry and Loan

Geri Wong
President, San Jose Downtown Association

Teresa Nguyen
Owner, Motif Restaurant
 

Raising the minimum wage from $8 to $10 is the right thing to do. It's that simple.

The opponents of MeasureD are trying to mislead you. The truth is that there is widespread support among businesses and nonprofits for raising the wage. Here are the facts:

  • Numerous San Jose companies support Measure D, including Lunardi's Markets, Azucar Restaurant, Pacific Printing, and All Star Building Maintenance, to name a few.
  • United Way Silicon Valley and the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, which represents the nonprofit sector in San Jose, both support Measure D. Most San Jose nonprofits already pay $10 an hour.
  • Measure D will level the playing field for local businesses by ensuring that large chain stores pay a fair wage.

The evidence from other cities that have raised the minimum wage proves that the opponents of Measure D are wrong about job losses and price increases.

Measure D will help our whole community by ensuring that people who work hard and play by the rules earn a fair wage.

Measure D will help thousands of working adults to become self-sufficient.

In San Jose, $8 an hour is not enough to keep people off government assistance. $8 an hour isn't fair to workers, it isn't fair to employers who pay decent wages, and it isn't fair to taxpayers who are forced to subsidize poverty wages.

Vote for fair wages. Vote "yes" on Measure D.

http://www.RaisetheWageSJ.com

Dana Magat
Rabbi, Interfaith Council Chair

Eduardo A. Samaniego
Priest, Most Holy Trinity Church

John L. Freesemann
Pastor, Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church

Paul Lunardi
President, Lunardi's Markets

Lawrence E. Stone
Santa Clara County Assessor







Paid for by the Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association PAC.


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