Join Ben Shnider's campaign for Montgomery County Council in pushing for a $15 minimum wage
Councilmember Sidney Katz
Councilmember Katz: Support a Strong $15 Minimum Wage Bill
The cost of living in Montgomery County is out of control. Too many in our community are stretching multiple incomes, often among several family members, just to make ends meet. Our elected leaders have a responsibility to lead in addressing our affordability crisis. We, therefore, respectfully urge you to support Bill 28-17, as introduced: a $15 minimum wage by 2020 for businesses over 25 employees and 2022 for those under 25 employees -- not the watered-down timeline passed by the HHS Committee. This bill is just one supporter shy of a veto-proof majority. We hope you’ll do right by working families in our community and provide that veto-proof majority.
We ask you to consider that:
The self-sufficiency standard in Montgomery County is the highest in Maryland, as of 2016.
The hourly self-sufficiency wage in Montgomery County for a single individual (without dependents) is $17.90 per hour in 2016.
Over half of renters in Montgomery County are cost burdened.
The top 1% of earners in our community out-earn the other 99% by a margin of 20 to 1.
About 70% of our nation's economy is currently driven by consumption.
Phasing in a $15 local minimum wage is both the right thing to do for working families and our local economy. Waiting seven years to implement a $15 minimum wage for most county workers dilutes the proposal beyond recognition. The countless families struggling in District 3 simply don’t have seven years to wait and doing so will significantly devalue a $15 hourly wage from where it is today.
Therefore, we respectfully urge you to join your colleagues who already support a clean $15 minimum wage and lend the proposal the veto-proof majority needed to become law.
To:
Councilmember Sidney Katz
From:
[Your Name]
Councilmember Katz: Support a Strong $15 Minimum Wage Bill
The cost of living in Montgomery County is out of control. Too many in our community are stretching multiple incomes, often among several family members, just to make ends meet. Our elected leaders have a responsibility to lead in addressing our affordability crisis. We, therefore, respectfully urge you to support Bill 28-17, as introduced: a $15 minimum wage by 2020 for businesses over 25 employees and 2022 for those under 25 employees -- not the watered-down timeline passed by the HHS Committee. This bill is just one supporter shy of a veto-proof majority. We hope you’ll do right by working families in our community and provide that veto-proof majority.
We ask you to consider that:
The self-sufficiency standard in Montgomery County is the highest in Maryland, as of 2016.
The hourly self-sufficiency wage in Montgomery County for a single individual (without dependents) is $17.90 per hour in 2016.
About one-third of Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) students are now beneficiaries of the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS) Program.
Over half of renters in Montgomery County are cost burdened.
The top 1% of earners in our community out-earn the other 99% by a margin of 20 to 1.
About 70% of our nation's economy is currently driven by consumption.
Phasing in a $15 local minimum wage is both the right thing to do for working families and our local economy. Waiting seven years to implement a $15 minimum wage for most county workers dilutes the proposal beyond recognition. The countless families struggling in District 3 simply don’t have seven years to wait and doing so will significantly devalue a $15 hourly wage from where it is today.
Therefore, we respectfully urge you to join your colleagues who already support a clean $15 minimum wage and lend the proposal the veto-proof majority needed to become law.