If you are a regular Texas Leftist reader, then you have probably come across some posts regarding the Minimum Wage. This blog was even mentioned on the Forbes.com website over the issue.
It’s important to blog about why an increase in the minimum wage is needed. But along with the blogging, I am exploring some options for how to take more substantive actions within the city of Houston. We all know that there is not much hope for a statewide wage increase after the results of this year’s election, but individual municipalities may be able to make more progress.
May is the operative term there, as just this week, we are seeing more disturbing news from the office of Governor-Elect Greg Abbott. For all of the talk he preaches about “small government” local control, he sure is swiping the hand of big government against Dallas County by trying to prevent Commissioners there from raising the minimum wage for their employees and contractors. It’s a preview for what may happen if other counties and cities tried to raise wages as well.
As it stands, current Texas state law prohibits cities from raising the minimum wage via ordinance or charter provision.
But Abbott’s convoluted ethics shouldn’t prevent Dallas County, or anyone else from trying to do what is right. In the interest of this goal, I decided to create a petition on Change.org calling for a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour in the city of Houston. Here is the text of the petition…
We the citizens respectfully call for a ballot initiative which mandates that the City of Houston enact a raise of the minimum wage to $15 per hour over a series of reasonable increments. This measure should be taken up by Houston City Council without delay.
The current minimum wage throughout the state of Texas is the federally mandated $7.25 per hour, including Houston, Texas. But for residents in the city of Houston, this wage is not enough for a full-time working individual to support themselves, especially if they would seek to do so without government assistance. The city has experienced astronomical increases in property taxes, which then get passed on to renters, and the entire consumer population. Houstonians deserve to be paid a living wage.
We can’t survive on $7.25!
If you support the cause, please sign the petition, and share it with your friends. With enough interest, we can make this happen for the City of Houston, and hopefully other Texas cities will follow suit.