The N&R’s Jeri Rowe weighs in the never-say-die Greensboro $9.36- minimum wage campaign, which will probably be an issue as long as City Council members Goldie Wells, Dianne Bellamy-Small and Mayor Yvonne Johnson hold elected office.
Rowe’s column is balanced in the sense that it gives minimum wage opponents like council members Mary Rakestraw and Mike Barber some space to state their views:
In December, in a 7-2 vote, the City Council gave the OK for the petition drive to move forward. Then in January, in a vote split along racial lines, council members rescinded their vote because of confusion over numbers and legality.
Not a conflict over race, as some minimum wage proponents claimed.
“That is a bunch of hooey,” City Council member Mike Barber said.
“This is the same 30 people who need a cause every so often. They just chose the wrong jurisdiction. They need to head to Raleigh and talk to legislators.”
The city’s legal eagles didn’t believe Greensboro could do diddly with its minimum wage. It’s the state’s call, not the city’s.
Not everyone agrees with that. But there’s no doubt the word “illegal” makes City Council members queasy. Especially now.
“I’m not willing to put the citizens at risk with another lawsuit,” said Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw, who made the motion to rescind the December vote. “Why go to that extreme?”
But Rowe writes:
So, folks who know our economy worry about Greensboro becoming an island of a higher minimum wage and losing its competitive edge.
They talk about small-business owners cutting costs and laying off employees to help cover a rising payroll. Just look what high wages did to Detroit, the tarnished capital of the car industry, they say.
Getting an education and creating workforce development programs to goose our economy is the way to go, they say.
You know, let the free market reign.
I detect a slight edge to that ‘you know.’ Somewhow I get the feeling Jeri doesn’t think letting the free market reign is a good idea.
