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Ashland approves living wage law By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - Southern Oregon's first living wage ordinance was approved by the City Council Tuesday night. But the door was left open for changes when the ordinance is read for a second time at the Sept. 4 meeting. Council members increased the amount of a grant or contract that would trigger the requirement to $15,000 from the $10,000 proposed in the draft. A pay and benefits package totaling $10.75 per hour will be required for city employees and employees who work on city projects for organizations that receive city contracts or grants. The ordinance does not apply to employees in organizations receiving grants or contracts who do not work on city-funded projects. Council members Don Laws, Susan Reid, John Morrison, Chris Hearn and Cate Hartzell voted for the ordinance. Cameron Hanson voted against it. "To take our taxpayers' money and say we don't care whether you pay a living wage is the wrong thing to do," said Laws. "We should hold a standard for public monies." Council members ran out of time to discuss and vote on the issue at the Aug. 7 meeting after 19 citizens testified on the ordinance. The council voted to not allow additional public testimony at Tuesday's meeting. "I would like to move ahead and wordsmith it as we need to," said Mayor Alan DeBoer. "(We) will work out changes between now and second meeting. The first reading is notification to the public." DeBoer said he favors changes that reduce the exclusion period for seeking city contracts to two years from five years for violators. He also said he liked a suggestion from Hartzell of a waiver period for compliance by community safety net services that receive grants from the city. A city oversight function is not included in the ordinance. Employers would be required to post notice of the wage. Workers would bring grievances for noncompliance. Exemptions include employees who work outside Oregon, temporary or part-time employees working less than 1,040 hours per year; those involved in training programs, volunteers and employees under 18 working for nonprofit entities after school or during summer. Ashland had 54 firms or individuals with service contracts during 1999-2000, with 19 contracts for less than $15,000. During the same period, Ashland awarded 10 social service grants and 11 economic grants. Social service grants greater than $15,000 were awarded to Community Works and the Community Health Center. Economic grants of more than $15,000 were given to the Ashland Chamber of Commerce and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Across the country, 65 governmental jurisdictions have enacted living wage ordinances. Corvallis, Portland and Multnomah County have living wage ordinances in Oregon. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.