THE
SBHS
FORGE
Volume 101, Issue 1
LA mayor pushes to raise minimum wage
forge.sbhs@gmail.com
October 14, 2014
THE FORGE TURNS 100!
Mark Gross Staff Reporter
The current minimum wage throughout the state of California is now $9 per hour as of June 1st this year. Mayor Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, however, is in the process of launching an ambitious campaign to raise the minimum wage of all LA city workers to $13.25 an hour. Mayor Garcetti describes it as “the largest anti-poverty program in the city’s history”. The most far-reaching initiative of the 14-month-old Garcetti administration would increase incomes for an estimated 567,000 workers by an average of $3,200, or 21%, a year, according to an analysis commissioned by the mayor's office and conducted by researchers from UC Berkeley. Presenting his plan, Garcetti seeks to balance the demands of the powerful Los Angeles labor community, which is pushing for an even higher minimum, against those of business leaders, who warn that boosting pay too quickly could stifle the slowly rebounding local economy. Garcetti's ordinance would require businesses to increase workers' pay from the California state minimum of $9 an hour to at least $10.25 in 2015, $11.75 in 2016 and $13.25 in 2017. The state minimum went from $8 to $9 an hour on July 1st and is due to increase to $10 an hour in 2016. Beginning in 2018, additional adjustments in Los Angeles would be automatically tied to an inflation index. Other West Coast cities have been leading the push for higher wages as well. In June, Seattle adopted an ordinance that would increase minimum pay to $15 an hour in three to seven years, depending on the size of the business. San Francisco voters will consider the same minimum in a vote this November. San Diego lawmakers also voted in August to go to $11.50 an hour by 2017. The federal government has taken note of this law as well. President Obama, speaking at a labor festival last week reiterated what he called “the simple truth: America deserves a raise." He praised local political leaders, specifically Garcetti, for raising wages, stating, "This is why I stay optimistic, even with some of the nonsense that goes on in Washington."
The Dons come together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Forge Photo Courtesy of Tim Putz
Long before the 2013-2014 school year ended, The Forge staff had already begun preparing for the momentous occasion that is the 100th anniversary of our very own school newspaper. We made plans with the Alumni Association to help us get in touch with editors from previous years, we started digging through archives of the paper, and became engrossed in the history of The Forge. On the first day of school this year, we picked that right back up, anticipating the publication of the 100th anniversary issue. Those of us who have been a part of The Forge staff for several years found so much joy in sharing with our newcomers how much the paper has changed over the past 100 years, and all of us were amazed by the development of not only the paper, but also the school and Santa Barbara itself. While we dedicated time to writing articles to reflect on the changes of The Forge, we found ourselves spending much of our time with our noses in archived issues, intrigued, entertained, and educated by the staff members of the past. We were humored and shocked by the cultural differences, made proud by past achievements, and inspired by articles done so many years ago. We were also lucky enough to meet some of the legendary staff members that have left an indelible mark on Santa Barbara High School through their participation and dedication to The Forge. They told us encouraging stories about their hardships and triumphs and shared with us fond memories of being a member of The Forge and how it made a permanent impact on their lives. The making of this very special issue of The Forge was a great experience for all involved. It opened our eyes and changed our view of The Forge forever. We can only hope that the student body, the Santa Barbara High School staff, and The Forge alumni admire this piece of history as much as we do and that you find it to be as interesting and pleasantly educational as we did making it. The Forge staff would like to thank everyone for their support and dedication to our paper for 100 years.
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