07-31-00 Council Meeting minutes

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SPECIAL MEETING JULY 31, 2000 Mr. Robert Hunt, 2804 South Twyckenham, South Bend, Indiana, noted that he is a member of the South Bend Redevelopment Commission and serviced on the Living Wage Committee that reviewed this ordinance. He stated that he voted to reject this ordnance and any ordinance. Mandating wage levels without regards to market forces and productivity, in his opinion, is not an economically sound thing to do. Even though an existing business in South Bend is not likely to leave, they may reconsider expansion. He urged the Council not to consider this ordinance. Ms. Gladys Muhammad, 510 South Kaley, South Bend, Indiana, advised the Council that she supports the living wage ordinance. She stated that she sees people every day who are trying to make a living wage. Young people are living with their parents because they cannot afford to live on their own. She stated that the City has issues of drugs, crime and violence and we need to improve the quality of life which can be done by paying a living wage. Mr. Larry Neff, President, Goodwill Industries, 55717 Danbury Drive, South Bend, Indiana, noted that Goodwill issues five hundred sixteen (516) paychecks a week at a cost of one hundred seventy - six thousand dollars ($176,000.00) with an average hourly rate of seven dollars and ninety -three cents ($7.93). He noted that they try to help their employees become as productive as they can be so they can make higher wages. He asked that his employees not become more vulnerable by artificially raising wages. Father Sullivan, no address given, addressed the Council. He stated that parts of the arguments tonight are about values. The free market has to be a fair market. He noted that he is delighted to hear about training improvement to bring up skills but what about the people before they go through the training. Why do people have to have an entry level so low? And if it pushes things up with a ripple effect we have to deal with that. He noted that he is disturbed that the committee said the City doesn't need an ordinance. He stated that maybe the City doesn't, but up to this time, the research is not all in. Ms. Vivian Sallie, 16194 Baywood Lane, Granger, Indiana noted that she is a business owner and all of her employees make more than the ten dollars ($10.00) an hour being discussed tonight. She stated that she served on the Living Wage Committee and tried to keep an open mind throughout the process and weigh all the information presented. She noted that the City needs to move past talking and do something about the problems being faced by the working poor. She further noted that the Committee was charged to review the ordinance and they did that. Now with the Council recommendation and the Mayor's support another group of individuals can come together as another Committee and look for solutions. Mr. Tony Mroczkiewicz, 23651 Ardmore Trail, South Bend, Indiana, Business Representative for the Carpenters Union in South Bend indicated that he wanted to talk about an issue that was not raised too much tonight and that is the effect construction has on of tax abated projects. He advised the Council that the Living Wage Committee chose to contact the County Council on another ordinance that addressed only that issue and urged them to delay action based on the action of this Committee. He noted that he addressed the Committee and asked them not to pursue that but they did in fact delay that action. He indicated that there is subcontracting to misclassified workers who are paid under a 1099. He stated that he is ashamed when he looks back on this community that is now turning its back on the middle class people and let them become poor class people. That is exactly what is happening and the union is trying to do something about it. Ms. Mary McLain, 1009 Woodside, South Bend, Indiana, noted that she is a member of the Commission and read every document provided. She further noted that she voted against the ordinance as proposed as well as any ordinance of this type. She urged the Council to look beyond the mention of ten dollars ($10.00) per hour. She noted that the proposed ordinance was very inclusive, more so than any anywhere else in the country, and there were many provisions besides just the wage factor. She noted that she could not be convinced that some of the requirements of the ordinance would actually put money in the poor of the community. She further noted that alternatives were addressed both in the sub - committee and the group as a whole and one of those alternatives involved the career center. She stated that she supports the Mayor's recommendations and urged the Council to look at another way to address the problem of poverty and a better life for