By Marti Emerald
SAN DIEGO — Did you know that an employee making the minimum wage in San Diego cannot meet the basic cost of living?
A minimum wage job pays $16,000 a year and the cost of living in the region is nearly double that at $30,000 a year.
In addition, nearly half of San Diegans working in the private sector lack access to earned sick days. This includes restaurant employees, childcare providers, and other jobs with high public contact. People who go to work sick risk passing illnesses on to coworkers and their customers—but many are force to choose between going to work sick or losing a day’s pay.
Raising San Diego’s minimum wage and increasing access to earned sick leave is good for our families, economy, and public safety.
I would like to see this item go to the public for a vote to let San Diegans decide if this is the right direction for the city. How do you feel about this issue?
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Ensuring that San Diegans have broad and open access to government documents and information is critical to protecting the democratic process.
I believe that we have an opportunity to make important reforms to the City Charter to help protect the people’s right of access. Among other things this new policy would require:
(1) Communication on all media, including emails and text messages that concerns city business to be open to public records requests. Currently, the charter only requires that “books, records and accounts” be open; and
(2) access to city employees’ and city contractors’ communication. The charter currently only requires access to city officials’ communication.
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A neighbor concerned about speeding vehicles on Amherst street was referred to Traffic Engineering and obtained petitions to take to their neighbors.
Over 75% of the property owners on Amherst signed the petition to install speed humps. The request was heard and approved by the Eastern Area Communities Planning Group and the result is a safer neighborhood for everyone, especially for the kids!
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Preceding extracted from the newsletter of Councilwoman Marti Emerald of San Diego …. San Diego Jewish World invites attention from sponsors who would like their messages to run beneath topical stories. Contact donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com