In 1997, the City of New Haven adopted a Living Wage Ordinance mandating that all people working on city contracts be paid the equivalent of 120% of the poverty line for a family of four assuming an employee works 40 hours per week. This wage is currently $9.75.

We, the undersigned, believe that the Living Wage has the potential to improve the lives of New Haven’s residents by reducing poverty and allowing people to work shorter hours, seek job training, pay for child care and gain more flexibility. The Living Wage should be tied to 120% of the poverty line for a family of four and adjusted every year. Any living wage should exempt those workers covered by collective bargaining agreements or employed by small businesses.

We believe that the city should expand its Living Wage to cover more workers including:

Every employee of the city, the school board, the special service districts and all other city authorities and

Every employee of New Haven’s corporations with more than five millions dollars in revenue.

We believe that the city should expand its Living Wage to provide more benefits including:

Health care insurance or a proportionately higher wage and

Paid vacation days for full time workers.