EDITORIAL KILLING JOBS VICTIMS OF THE LIVING WAGE.

BILLINGSLEY'S Restaurant at the Van Nuys Golf Course may soon fall victim to the economic illiteracy of the Los Angeles City Council.

Five years ago, the council pandered to organized labor by passing a measure requiring all businesses that contract with the city to pay their employees a ``living wage,'' an hourly salary tied to the Consumer Price Index that tends to run about three dollars more than the California minimum wage.

The measure, intended to bolster the economic status of the city's working families, was a classic example of arrogant politicians thinking they could magically legislate wealth into existence.

But grandiose schemes have consequences. Extra money for salaries has to come from somewhere. Usually from customers, workers or taxpayers who end up paying the bill.

Billingsley's is a case in point of what's wrong with this scheme.

Because the restaurant's lease on the city-owned golf course is up for renewal, it will soon have to start paying the living wage, which owner Drew Billingsley says will cost him $100,000 a year. In an effort to meet that expense, he has laid off as many employees as possible, but it's not enough.

Thus Billingsley now has two choices: Either he can raise prices and alienate his loyal clientele (which consists largely of retirees on fixed incomes), or he can close up shop altogether.

Either way, the community will suffer. That's what happens when feel- good posturing, not sound policy, governs lawmaking.

City Hall has done its best to chase away well-paying jobs, and public schools have done their worst at educating people so they aren't qualified for well-paying jobs. Artificial living wages won't solve real people's problems.