Portland observer., February 24, 2016, Page Page 7, Image 7

February 24, 2016
Black History Month
Page 7
Protesters pound on the walls outside of the House Chamber in
the Capitol building in Salem Thursday as lawmakers debate a
higher minimum wage, rent controls, and an end to state highway
department sweeps of homeless camps. (AP photo)
Lawmakers Approve
Higher Minimum Wage
Increases made gradual over six years
Oregon lawmakers have ap-
proved landmark legislation that
propels the state’s minimum wage
for all workers to the highest rank
in the U.S., and does so through an
unparalleled tiered system based
on geography.
The state House of Represen-
tatives on Thursday passed Sen-
ate Bill 1532, which now heads
to Democratic Gov. Kate Brown,
who said in a statement she will
sign it into law.
The bill was crafted as a com-
promise between what unions,
businesses and farmers want and
as an attempt to thwart more ag-
gressive proposals that could go
before voters in November. Those
two proposals call for a statewide
minimum of $13.50 or $15, and
would be phased in over half the
time.
The Legislature’s new plan im-
poses a series of gradual increases
over six years. By 2022, the state’s
current $9.25 an hour minimum -
one of the highest in the nation -
would climb to $14.75 in metro
Portland, $13.50 in smaller cities
such as Salem and Eugene, and
$12.50 in rural communities.
“Oregon has always been at
the forefront of new ideas in the
country. We were the irst to actu-
ally have a minimum wage,” said
Rep. Paul Holvey, a Democrat
from Eugene. “Trust me, we’re
not solving all the problems, but
we are making a substantial dent
in it by pushing up from the bot-
tom some wage equality ... from
the huge disparity we have in in-
comes.”
The goal of the tiered approach
is to balance the needs of the more
urban west where living costs
have soared in rapidly growing
Portland and struggling farming
communities in the east.
Division over the minimum
wage - currently at $7.25 in fed-
eral law - is also often split along
party lines and pits low-wage
workers against business groups,
as has been seen in Oregon this
year. Republicans, the minority
party in the Oregon Statehouse,
have opposed the increase.
--Associated Press
Educate, Empower and Engage
Current and prospective mem-
bers are invited to connect with
Portland NAACP’s work in ad-
vancing racial justice in the com-
munity. President Jo Ann Hardes-
ty and executive leadership will
provide updates about current and
future initiatives.
The mission of the National
Association for the Advancement
of Colored People is to ensure the
political, educational, social, and
economic equality of rights of all
persons and to eliminate racial ha-
tred and racial discrimination.
The vision of the NAACP is
to ensure a society in which all
individuals have equal rights and
there is no racial hatred or racial
discrimination.
Portland meetings are held the
fourth Saturday of every month.
The next meeting is Saturday,
Feb. 27, from noon to 2pm, at
the American Red Cross Oregon
Chapter, 3131 N. Vancouver Ave.
2016