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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
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if available.
Street Roots
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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.
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Chairman Bruce Anderson
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Alexander, Eddie Barbosa
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