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Beutler says he'll veto living wage exemption

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - 09:56:55 am CST

Mayor Chris Beutler said Tuesday he would veto the City Council’s decision to exempt nonprofit organizations from the city’s living wage ordinance.

The ordinance requires companies with at least 10 employees who have city contracts worth $25,000 or more to pay full-time employees a minimum hourly salary, adjusted annually. It is currently $10.92 per hour or $9.93 per hour with health insurance benefits.

The City Council passed the ordinance in March 2004.

Story Photo
Chris Beutler

“The living wage is simple justice and fairness for our working poor,” Beutler said in a news release. “Government works best when it rewards work - not when it forces people onto the welfare rolls. The best anti-poverty program ever devised is a fair wage for a hard day’s work.”

A study conducted by the Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest in the summer of 2006 found that the living wage ordinance “has not caused an increase in service payments or contract costs for the government.”

Beutler said he plans to veto the Council action as soon as the proceedings of Monday’s meeting are delivered to his office. The city clerk has 48 hours after adjournment to forward council action to the mayor.


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Bizarre Economics wrote on November 20, 2007 10:12 am:
" So it's apparently better to have 4 people employed at 10 bucks an hour, with one guy jobless, than to have all 5 employed at 8 bucks an hour? Never mind that 20% unemployment rate! Oh, well, when you've never run a business of your own, your economic focus must get really hazy after a few decades. "

 Nina wrote on November 20, 2007 10:19 am:
" Good for Beutler - he's doing the right thing in a stance that shows character and compassion. What we do for the poor shows our true colors. "

 stignob wrote on November 20, 2007 10:44 am:
" Wrong, raising the minimum wage has NEVER got anybody out of the poor house. It's all feel good stuff from the lefties. Yes, what they do for the poor is dole out minscule amounts of money to keep them under their POWER! "

 Just the facts wrote on November 20, 2007 10:44 am:
" To Bizarre Economics: Your statement would make sense if Nebraska's unemployment rate wasn't 3.4%. Doesn't look like a living wage has put anybody out of work. Good for Beutler in saying that if you do business with Lincoln and recieve taxpayer dollars over a certain amount than you should pay your people working on that contract above the poverty level. "

 Way to go wrote on November 20, 2007 11:20 am:
" Way to go - It is better to have 4 people employed for $10 an hour than 5 at $8 and receiving benefits for the working poor. There is nothing wrong with seeking assistance when working to make ends meet but the only way to eliminate the need for working poor is to pay them more. Way to go Mayor B. "

 George wrote on November 20, 2007 11:35 am:
" If the super minimum wage is the cure all then raise it to $100 an hour so we all can live like commies. "

 forthosecomplaining wrote on November 20, 2007 11:36 am:
" For those for complaining, it's only for those that do business with the City of Lincoln, which is very optional. When you or I hire a contractor, I can dictate the terms, so why can't the city. They are NOT forcing anyone to pay a "livable" wage. It's only needs to happen if they hope to get city contracts. "

 subsidy wrote on November 20, 2007 11:49 am:
" Why does the far left have to punish the middle class people? The costs associated with subsidizing this so called living wage ultimately falls on the back of the middle class!!! This legislation was pushed forward to the council with the help of Sen. Danielle "Snow-Plowed" Nantkes, need I say more? "

 Liking Beutler wrote on November 20, 2007 11:54 am:
" Good job Mayor Chris! "

 old guy wrote on November 20, 2007 11:56 am:
" Congradulations Mayor, this is he best thing that has come out of that office for quite awhile. All you people that think anybody can live on $5.85 an hour or whatever the min. wage is should donate all your income over that amount to the city and quit complaining. "

 Not minimum wage wrote on November 20, 2007 12:27 pm:
" This isn't an increase to the minimum wage. This ordinance is only for companies that do more than $25,000 worth of business in city contracts. Many cities have similar legislation and study after study has shown that Living Wage ordinances have a positive impact. Thanks to Mayor Beutler for his support of this ordinance. "

 whatever wrote on November 20, 2007 12:36 pm:
" The unemployment rate in this state is so low because so many are compelled to work 2 or more jobs to make a living. "

 Zach wrote on November 20, 2007 1:07 pm:
" You're right stignob, the republican, "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" has worked so well. "

 RaE wrote on November 20, 2007 1:19 pm:
" I would like to know how many on here who are complaining about the action of Mayor- Are you trying to support a family on $9.80-$10.80 an hour?? And do so without any assistance?? This is not minimum wage set by the government-- this has to do with people who have city contracts. if you want to do business with the city of Lincoln-- then pay people an honest wage for good work. Rock on Mayor......keep on being a voice for those of us who are just trying to get a decent wage for decent work "

 Des wrote on November 20, 2007 1:44 pm:
" The market does work and doing these kind of idiotic living wage things only skews the market and does put people out of work. But whenever that fact is pointed out the bleeding heart idiots pooh-pooh it. To them the feel good ends are more important than means of getting there. As for the low unemployment, let's keep a few things in mind. First, the state has been known to count poeple who are working part-time at burger joints are counted as employed. Second, a lot of people have LEFT the state so they aren't counted anymore. And yes, there are a lot of people working multiple jobs to make ends meet, as I have done in the past. The problem is not a living wage for a handful of people, what's needed is true economic infrastructure building so as to offer better jobs to more people. "

 Good! wrote on November 20, 2007 2:31 pm:
" I approve of Mayor Beutler's stance. Even with a living wage, you would gross about 22k. Try living on 22k. It shames me that rich policy makers want to dictate poverty on hard working people. No one working full time should be poor. Period. Go Mayor Beutler. "

 Why pay for welfare? wrote on November 20, 2007 2:48 pm:
" You pay for people either front end or back end. If you pay them wages that do not pay the bills, then government picks up the tab for welfare services. If you give them enough up front by ensuring fair wages, you don't have to pay back end. It's cheaper. It's smarter. It encourages work. As the Mayor said, the best anti-poverty program is a decent paying job. "

 DP wrote on November 20, 2007 3:11 pm:
" I don't have a problem with the living wage increase but to think your going to get out of the poor house by staying at jobs like this you are wrong. If you are at a job that is around minimum wage then you need to work your butt off, go to some sort of school or a combination of both to get out of that place and move up in the world. "

 Jen wrote on November 21, 2007 7:54 am:
" Seems to me the only people complaining about this are the people that it will have no effect on. I have a family of four, I make over $16/hr, yet we still live paycheck to paycheck. I have lived in Nebraska for twelve years, and this is the first thing (that I can remember) that the mayor's office has done that I fully support. Good job! "

 No Surprise wrote on November 21, 2007 8:23 am:
" So far I haven't seen any change from the last mayor for improving the economy in Lincoln. High taxes, impact fees, etc. stifle growth! "

 Thank you Mayor wrote on November 21, 2007 10:43 am:
" Thank you Mayor for supporting working men and women. Job well done!! You 'get it' and for that me and my family are grateful and appreciative. "

 Grundle wrote on November 21, 2007 10:52 am:
" Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps does work, but it requires commitment, desire, and hard work...all too rare qualities in today's "gimme" world. "

 Kristine wrote on November 21, 2007 4:29 pm:
" Specifically DP, but several others have said similar things.....do you not know/see that Lincoln has crap for jobs?? You say, 'If you don't like it, change it'. I have a bachelor's degree, for example, but the only jobs around are customer service/clerical jobs. I can barely make it on my wages, and I've been treading for years--even with a second job. I'm bright, articulate, educated, (though I can't afford MORE school, and I'm not sure it would be worthwhile to pursue) and still, I'm eeking by. If someone is working minimum wage jobs, it's because they're A) willing to, and/or B) unskilled. I'm quite tired, as I'm sure many people are, of the mindless comments about people's jobs. You obviously haven't been out there in many years, and are somehow priveleged to not know this. "

 JoBeth wrote on November 21, 2007 10:34 pm:
" OK, how about the schools following this practice? I work for Waverly Public Schools and a lot of us there do not make a living wage. Let's be fair in all tax supported agencies please. "

 IF??? wrote on November 22, 2007 8:21 am:
" If the Mayor is so concerned about this why isn't he forcing Capitol Humane Society to pay the Living Wage? Oh that's right there hasn't been a contract for 2 years but we still doing business with them as if there was a contract. My understanding is we are paying them as if they had a contract and paying them more than in the past. Smoke and mirrors people. How much is DLA and the Chamber paying those people who pick up litter downtown? Doesn't the City have a contract or an agreement with them? Get real Lincoln this is just a feel good law. "

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