LIVING WAGE COALITION OF SONOMA COUNTY
(www.livingwagesonoma.org)

To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
From: Concerned Citizens of Sonoma County
Re: A Living Wage

We, the undersigned residents of the County of Sonoma, strongly support the concept of a "living wage" for all workers employed by the county, by firms and organizations contracting with the county, and by firms receiving public subsidies or leasing property from the county.

1) A day's work deserves a fair days pay, and no one who works for a living should struggle in poverty. A worker and his or her family should be able to live without any form of public or private assistance. Government and taxpayer dollars should encourage the creation of jobs which permit workers to live with dignity and self-sufficiency.

2) All workers should receive a wage adequate to cover the costs of housing, food, transportation and child care. In addition, workers should receive health care benefits and compensated sick leave and vacation.

3) A living wage policy provides social and economic benefits for the community as a whole by decreasing the need for public assistance programs and increasing consumer spending in the local economy. Employee productivity, retention, and quality of services will improve for firms paying a living wage.

Living wage legislation has been successfully implemented in over 67 cities and counties across the nation and another 60 ordinances are pending. In California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Ventura, Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Cruz, San Jose, San Francisco, Pittsburg, West Hollywood, Pasadena, and Hayward have passed living wage ordinances. We urge the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to pass the living wage ordinance which will be proposed by the Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County.

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Please send petitions to: 
PO Box 427 Santa Rosa, CA 95402