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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 2015)
Page 3 So-called ‘recovery’ costing all of us in services irst, let s preface what we’re about to say with a That’s according to a standard of 70 household commonly accepted generality: The economy is measurements for every county in Oregon. The largest improving. increased self-sufficiency needs occurred in Multnomah Second, consider how much more glaring that County, v^here the rising cost of living for a young generality makes the latest study on how much family means people who were once able to get by are taxpayers are subsidizing the miserly habits of now rapidly falling behind. |—B corporations through low wages So in the abstract, the economy might be improving and thread-bare benefits. W O # I D f If W on the big stage, but go ask the family of four trying to This month, the University of pay rent how the economy is faring. Concrete facts ___ Oregon Labor Education and reveal a different story. Ask members of the Latino and Research Center released its African-American communities - where 45 percent and report, “The High Cost 50 percent of workers, respectively, are of Low Wages in Oregon.” Its findings employed in tow-wage industries - and conclude that more than 400,000 you’ll probably hear more about erratic, In summary, Oregonians are employed in low-wage work: schedules and limited hours than the “This systemic low-wage work (when salaries the economic economic rebound. recovery, are set far below the costs needed to raise a Talk to a single parent trying to support family) means the demand for public "has bypassed his or her family, and the optimism for a services is at a record high - more than 1 working better next quarter is nowhere to be million Oregonians new rely on food stamps found. According to the U of O report, one Oregonians." and other assistance to feed and support ________ three female-headed households are their families.” IB—1—1— 1—1 paid less than $25,000 a year. That jumps As a result, taxpayers fill the gaps through to 54 percent among those women with government programs, such as food stamps, to the tune children under 5 years old. of $1.7 billion each year. There is a cost to this level of Instead of enjoying this so-called economic recovery, economic suppression, and it is borne by every taxpayer we’re paying for it. in the state, including those needing assistance in the How do we change that? We can do so by investing in first place. our social infrastructure - such as affordable housing - In Summary, the economic recovery, the report and forcing those corporations on the recovery side of concludes, “has bypassed working Oregonians.” this economy to offset their wage suppression with a So it’s also no surprise when Work Systems, a public, assistance fee. And we must end wage nonprofit agency that coordinates workforce discrimination and expand paid sick leave and child care development programs to train and employ Oregonians, options. We can do this. says that one out of three households in Multnomah T here’s no one silver bullet, but ending the denial of and Washington coun.tie.s .is not making ends m eet what a true economic recovery rpeans for all of us.isra ■ ? » UK1AI One out of three. great step forward. So let's stop taking two steps back. Write in if you would like to have that you’ve written published in our pages, or would like to get involved as a member of our reporting staff, contact Managing Editor Joanne Zuhf at 503-228-5657, joanne@streetroots.org. We ask that all submissions include the author’s name and contact information, if available. Street Roots 211 NW Davis St. Portland, OR 97209 503-228-5657 Fax: 503-227-3117 www.streetroots.org www.news.streetroots.org Hours: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. * a.m.-2 p.m., Sat., and 7: Staff Executive Director Israel Bayer israel@streetroots.org Managing Editor Joanne Zuhl joanne@streetroots.org Vendor Coordinator Cole Merkel cole@streetroots,org Operations Director Sarah Beecroft Program Assistant Grace Badik, Jesuit Volunteer . . . . . . . grace@streetroots.org Development D irector Sarah Cloud Development Assistant Ann-Derrick Galliot Reporters Emily Green, Sarah Hansell, Sam Bouman, Jacques Von Lunen Let your voice be heard in support of $15 an hour Supporting government programs such as housing, id you know that to afford a lower-end, one- the arts and transportation, to name a few, is critical to bedroom apartment at 30 percent of your maintaining a healthy society. Who among us doesn’t income in Multnomah County you would need to make about $31,960 annually. That’s about $14.88 an want a healthy government supporting a healthy society? I do. hour. It’s no secret that the gap between the rich and poor, Thinking of something a bit more especially in urban environments, is at an all-time high. spacious, maybe with a view? We could talk about the need for nearly 40,000 According to a recent report by affordable housing units in the metro area, or the fact KGW, you would need to make that some people are uncomfortable about people DESK nearly $62,000 annually to afford a sleeping in our parks and on our sidewalks. It makes me one-bedroom renting for $1,500 a By Israel Bayer uncomfortable too. We could talk about the realities of month. That translates to $31 an raising a child on your own, or having to work three hour working a 40-hour week. A person working for the current jobs to make ends meet. In fact, we can talk about our poverty until we are blue in the face, but what we really minimum wage in Oregon, right now ($9.25) would need want to talk about is simply a raise. to work about 65 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom Raising our minimum wage to $15 an hour will not on the edge of town. To afford a one-bedroom, $1,500 deter the creation and success of small businesses. It apartment than it’s a cool 130 hours a week at the will not hamper our nonprofit sector. It will not stop big current minimum wage. : businesses from making record-breaking profits this Is your head spinning yet? Mine is. year. It’s not the end of the world for the free market. During this upcoming legislative session, elected It’s simply giving working Oregonians a fighting chance , officials in Salem are proposing a $15 minimum wage to have access to the wages they deserve and the increase and requiring two weeks sick pay statewide. chance to improve their quality of life. Hooray! Anything less would be inhumane. It was gréât to see Multnomah County and Home The reality is, if we want poor and working people to Forward increase their in-house minimum wages to $15 support paying for things like a street fee that would help improve transportation in poor neighborhoods, and an hour. Now it’s time for Portland to not only support its own workers, but require that we all do the same. to support the arts for low-income children in schools, There will be a rally for the $15 minimum wage on then we have to collectively turn a corner. There are far Saturday, Jan. 24, at high noon at the Oregon State too many Oregonians having to make hard choices Capitol. Be there, or at the very least, let your voice be between paying for utilities, health care, food and re n t heard. Oregon wants a raise! That’s if you’re lucky enough to have a choice, 0 Israel Bayer is the executive director o f Street Roots. You can reach him at israel@streetroots. org or follow him on Twitter @israelbayer. Photographers Diego Diaz, Kristina W right Board of Directors Chairman Bruce Anderson Vice-Chairman Michael Anderson Treasurer Heather Stadick Secretary Amber Bielman Directors Rich Rodgers, Brad Taylor, Leo Rhodes, Ken Hawkins, Nora Coon, Darren Alexander, Eddie Barbosa Volunteers Jan Bayer, Rob Shyrock, Stacey Heath, John Barker, Dane Nicklas, Kevin Glasel, Sarah Hansell, Sam Bouman, Eliese Baker, Tom Ray, Cherie Veda!, Jessie Carver, Mary Locke, James Yu, Melissa Kahn, Vinnie Kinsella, Lisa Waldo, Monica Kwasnik If you are interested in volunteering with Street Roots, please submit a volunteer application at streetroots.org/volunteer. Or call Volunteer Coordinator Grace Badik for more information at 503-228-5657.
