DELAY URGED FOR COUNTY WAGE LAW.Byline: Bhavna Mistry Mistry is a surname, and may refer to:
This page or section lists people with the surname Mistry. Staff Writer VENTURA Ventura (vĕnt  `rə), city (1990 pop. 92,575), seat of Ventura co., SW Calif., on the Pacific coast in a farm and oil region; inc. 1866. - After determining that a living-wage ordinance A law, statute, or regulation enacted by a Municipal Corporation.An ordinance is a law passed by a municipal government. A municipality, such as a city, town, village, or borough, is a political subdivision of a state within which a municipal corporation has been would cost Ventura County taxpayers more than $1.2 million, the new CAO has recommended the supervisors delay a decision until after budget negotiations. The ordinance coming before supervisors on Tuesday would require companies contracting with the county to pay workers at least $8 an hour with health benefits or $10 an hour without. An analysis of the proposal found it would add $824,030 to contracting costs, $342,000 to county workers' salaries, and $45,000 to administrative expenses. ``From a budgetary standpoint The Standpoint is a newspaper published in the British Virgin Islands. It was originally published under the name Pennysaver, largely as a shopping-coupon promotional newspaper, but since emerged as one of the most influential sources of journalism in the , it's problematic,'' said John Johnston
The cost analysis comes at a critical time for the supervisors, as they wrestle with a slowing economy and a budget forecast showing a $7 million shortfall Shortfall The amount by which the capital required to fulfill a financial obligation exceeds available capital. Notes: Shortfall risk is often combated with an efficient hedging strategy created by a fund, group, institution, or individual. for fiscal 2001. Johnston predicted that if the board ultimately approves the ordinance, other programs will have to be cut. Supervisor Steve Bennett The name Steve Bennett refers to more than one person:
``An investment in our working poor is the better investment we can make,'' said Bennett, the newest member of the board. But Supervisor Frank Schillo, who has missed board meetings since undergoing heart surgery last month, said he opposes the measure. ``I don't have a problem with people giving a living wage, but this is going to cost $2 million to implement,'' he said. ``Where is that money going to come from and what services are going to be hurt?'' Supervisor Judy Mikels, who has voted against the ordinance in the past, was out of town last week and could not be reached for comment. While the financial analysis said that costs would rise in future years, it found that the ordinance would bring no guarantee of county savings in health care or in actually assisting those the ordinance is hoping to serve. Furthermore, the report shows the federal government would be the major beneficiary beneficiary Person or entity (e.g., a charity or estate) that receives a benefit from something (e.g., a trust, life-insurance policy, or contract). A primary beneficiary receives proceeds from a trust or insurance policy before any other. , receiving additional income tax revenue because of higher wages while reducing the number of residents benefiting from public programs. In addition, the analysis showed that more than 130 county employees - but only a handful of private-sector workers - would get a raise under the living wage ordinance. ``Interestingly, since county government is one of the largest local employers of service employees, application of the living wage internally may benefit more individual workers than the ordinance affecting county service contractors,'' the report to supervisors says. County officials said that 59 employees who receive health benefits earn less than $8 an hour and 72 additional employee who do not receive health benefits make less than $10 a hour. But supporters of the ordinance feel that the cost estimate is double the amount it should be. ``It is based on faulty fault·y adj. fault·i·er, fault·i·est 1. Containing a fault or defect; imperfect or defective. 2. Obsolete Deserving of blame; guilty. methodology,'' said Marcos Vargas, the co-chair of the Ventura County Living Wage Coalition. And while Vargas compliments com·pli·ment n. 1. An expression of praise, admiration, or congratulation. 2. A formal act of civility, courtesy, or respect. 3. the county for also considering wage increases for county employees, he said those raises should not be considered a cost of the ordinance. ``We have found that in every other city, (a living wage) has had a very positive impact,'' Vargas added. ``To state our working families should be dependent on public assistance is bad policy. We should be empowering working families (so) that they are receiving a decent wage with health benefits.'' Supervisor Kathy Long said she agreed with Vargas and believes that additional cost analysis is needed before a vote is taken. ``I don't think that this is an apples-to-apples cost,'' Long said. ``We need to know how many people currently use county services today and who will continue to use county services when we have an ordinance. It's really hard to gauge.'' |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion