Poll: Readers split on living wage

Last month, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors showed support for a proposal that would bring a $13 an hour living wage to nearly 600 contract employees. The proposal did not include hundreds of home health service providers, who make up the largest segment of county employees and would cost $12 million to cover at $13 an hour. A living wage is defined as the bare minimum a person needs to make to live in the same area as they work, which is higher than the minimum wage in Sonoma County due to the high cost of housing. Those who took part in this week’s unofficial online poll were split almost evenly about whether they supported the county’s effort to institute a living wage. Here were some of the comments:

“The living wage should be at least $15 per hour and cover all workers contracted by the county and subcontractors. The living wage should cover in-home support service workers. By covering only 560 workers and not the majority of low wage workers, the so called living wage proposed by the county becomes meaningless.”

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“We already have a state and federal minimum wage.”

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“The market - supply and demand for skilled workers - should determine the wage, not the government.”

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“No, the plan that the board of supervisors proposes doesn’t do nearly enough to make a real difference. This is typical of them doing a little when we need a lot.”

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“Let’s get people off of public assistance and pay them a living wage. Large companies are walking away with record profits and leaving workers to subsist on food stamps and welfare.”

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“I’ve got to tell you, even $13 an hour is not a living wage.”

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“I think $13 an hour is too high. I would say $10.50 an hour.”

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“If, in fact, these are employees of the county, then, yes I agree. If the county is trying to tell the private sector how to pay people, I do not agree.”

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“It really ought to be expanded to caregivers, too.”

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“That dollar amount still won’t pay rent. Who works at the county and doesn’t make twice that?”

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“Low wages exacerbate the housing problems. Low wage jobs are the fastest growing jobs in the county.”

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“Sonoma socialist County.”

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“Let the free market dictate what a living wage is by removing government subsidies.”

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“It’s not nearly enough.”