During the past couple of years, we’ve gone on the record numerous times calling for both an increase in Sonoma’s minimum wage to $15/hr. and the generation of revenues to support the creation of affordable housing. We and various groups in the community have offered concrete suggestions and methods to do both, and we’ve encountered no one who doesn’t think there is more than enough evidence to justify action. To date, however, little to nothing has been accomplished.
The minimum wage study approved by Sonoma’s City Council in September, 2014 has never been done, despite the unambiguous direction of Council at that time that an RFP be issued so a minimum wage study could be conducted; to date, the RFP has not even been issued.
Likewise, of all the suggestions made about raising revenue for the creation of affordable housing – such as raising the Transit Occupancy Tax (paid by tourists), creating a non-profit housing trust fund (as Silicon Valley and San Francisco have done), imposing commercial impact fees, etc. – the only thing happening is a study of impact fees. At this rate, by the time that study is completed, major funding opportunities will have passed us by.
Recognizing the need to provide relief to working families struggling to survive in one of the highest cost-of-living areas in the nation, many Bay Area communities are undertaking – or have already undertaken – an increase in their minimum wage requirement. Shamefully, our local elected officials have not been able to muster the energy, effort or simple compassion to provide a modicum of financial relief to the many low-paid workers who form the economic backbone of our wealthy wine country “paradise.” Recent public comments by Mayor Laurie Gallian highlighting her intent to make affordable housing her highest priority give us some welcome hope, but we hasten to add that raising the minimum wage is the other essential component in creating a properly balanced and equitable local community.
We’d like to remind Sonoma’s City Council members that it is they, not city staff, who determine city policy. Staff’s role is to implement the wishes of Council. A vote by the council majority instructing staff to take a particular action is not a suggestion, but a directive not subject to unilateral override by the City Manager, Mayor or any individual council member.
Along with the rest of the community – and the many minimum wage families struggling to make ends meet – we have been waiting far too long for some action. It’s well past time that income and housing issues be put on the agenda and concrete steps taken. As numerous other communities have demonstrated, dealing with minimum wage and affordable housing issues is not rocket science. All it takes is political will, courage, and a sense of common decency.
Sun Editorial Board
I would suggest extracting more from tourists because of the desirability of visiting Sonoma by people from all over the world if the additional revenue would go directly to moderate and subsidized housing. A community built on the well being of the few is not a sustainable community. Doing good for all workers and residents would be worthy of self promotion. We have a valuable experience to sell. Lets not be afraid to do so in the interest of all.
Here! Here! Or is that: Hear! Hear! Hoist the tourists by their heels and shake every last dime our of their pockets, then send them – drunk – back where they came from.
That’s dumb, La Jolla did that and it cost them dearly
Really? Increasing the minimum wage in La Jolla to a whopping $11.50 — by 2017 – has “cost them dearly?” Google “La Jolla” (Spanish for “The Jolla”) and it becomes quickly apparent that it is one of the more affluent communities in the country. It could have easily raised it to $50/hr.
You can do this and not make the tourists feel they are being fleeced. Simple things like raising the TOT slightly (and not just for the city, but the whole county) and ear marking a percentage to go to a housing fund can work. Also make the housing fund dual purpose, don’t just build, but subsidize, so that money can be given to people to rent and buy market rate housing. If communities want to add a surcharge like San Francisco did for health care for food service workers, do that on restaurant tabs with the explanation printed out that it is for housing. And last stop OKing large hotels county wide. This attracts more low wage workers, needing more housing. Instead try to attract some new, green businesses that will pay a better wage. And many of you need to read more, this is a nationwide economic problem, Sonoma is not the only place this is happening. I would suggest that you subscribe to the Stanford reports on poverty in America to see the real statistics on where the entire US economy is going and how this affects housing.