While pouring over the upcoming year’s $377 million budget, the Santa Monica City Council this week noticed a key expense missing: The living wage.
Council members want to mandate that City Hall workers make a minimum of $11.50 an hour, and that would include all contractors who have $25,000 projects or more with the city. The additional cost to City Hall would surpass $1 million.
City officials already have cut $2 million from the budget and found ways to increase revenues to close a $4 million budget shortfall. Belt tightening is expected for a couple of more years.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 4, 2004. Read the original PDF.