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# Disappointed with the chamber of commerce
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/eurotrash-the-everymans-guide-to-crossing-the-pond-part-3/
- Published: 2002-09-02T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:42:50.000Z
- Author: Dan Dunn
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Larry N. George, Ph.D. Santa Monica*

Along with my colleague, Dr. Teresa Wright, I attended the “Town Meeting” on the living wage held at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce last Tuesday, which your newspaper covered in a well-written and balanced article by Andrew Fixmer, (Chamber: Living wage leads to job loss, August 28). We were quite disturbed that at an event, which, as you accurately reported, had been billed as a “forum” on the issue, and which the chamber described as an “educational event,” only presented one side of the issue. And that, indeed, speakers who were present and willing to discuss the other pro-living wage perspective were prevented from doing so.

The word “forum” comes from the Latin word for an open market, as in an “open market of ideas.” As social scientists, we went to this educational “forum” expecting to be presented with a balanced, open discussion of this complex and important question. Instead, we were treated to what amounted to a diatribe from one speaker, who offensively compared the living wage to Hitler’s seizure of power, followed by an entirely one-sided account of the living wage from two economists, who are apparently being paid for their research by the chamber of commerce itself. Experts representing the pro-living wage position, who had also paid for their seats at the luncheon, were directly prevented from stating their views to the audience. This obviously does not constitute an open, educational “forum,” and we are extremely disturbed that we, and the other members of the audience, were not permitted to hear both sides of the issue.

As you are aware, the City of Santa Monica commissioned a study by another economist, Dr. Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts, which strongly supports the Santa Monica living wage ordinance. A number of other economists who have studied the issue have also arrived at conclusions opposite to those of the economists who spoke at the Council luncheon. Harvard labor economist Richard Freeman, for example, has reviewed the city’s study, and confirms all of its core findings: That low-wage workers would benefit, that the hotels affected could afford to pay the living wage and that any job loss would be small. The law has a hardship exemption to cover any businesses that might be harmed by it, including the one or two restaurants likely to be covered by the law.

The living wage initiative, Proposition JJ on the November ballot, has the support of many elected officials, including Senator Sheila Kuehl, Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, School Board President Julia Brownley and California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres.

The chamber of commerce has the right to conduct one-sided events, and, I suppose, even to prevent paid attendees in the audience from presenting contrasting views. But it should not publicize these as open "town meetings," “forums” or “educational events.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 2, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/090202.pdf?ref=smdp.com)