Push For $15 Minimum Wage In Davis Gaining Momentum
DAVIS (CBS13) — A push is on to increase the minimum wage for workers in Davis to $15 dollars an hour.
Supporters say they've collected more than 1,000 of the 7,000 signatures needed to get the measure on the ballot. It would increase the minimum wage beyond the state's planned $10 an hour.
Hayley Benham-Archdeacon with the Raise The Wage Davis campaign, and says the support and volunteers for the measure continues to grow.
"That's only $17,000 a year, which is not enough to cover basic needs," she said. "Someone making that much still needs to be on government assistance programs to cover what they need to live."
But restaurant owner Derar Zawaydeh describes the move as a business killer.
"There's no way we can actually operate at that pricing unless we go from $8 to $15 for a burger, and who knows who will actually show up for that," he said.
He says businesses like his that employee more than 100 people at three restaurants would be forced to settle for a smaller workforce or shut down.
"That would kill a lot of business, I guarantee you," he said.
Hayley disagrees, and thinks the people of Davis will too.
"If you put money in people's pockets, they actually go out and buy the things they want and need from local businesses," she said.
Organizers plan to bring the proposal before the Davis City Council on April 15.
