A living wage: Town should ensure its employees have sustainable pay

As the Chapel Hill Town Council drafts the town budget it should adopt a petition by the Orange County Organizing Committee to establish a minimum living wage for town employees.

The committee's proposal calls for a $13-an-hour base wage for all full-time town employees. Based on a 40-hour work week this salary would equate to about $27000 per year.

Both Carrboro and Durham have established living wages. Chapel Hill should join them in doing so.

Because only about 50 town employees currently make less than $13 an hour the cost to the town would be relatively small.

A living wage would give these employees a pay raise of about $1 per hour each.

Stephanie Perry a member of the committee said establishing a living wage would cost as little as $880 or 0.25 percent of the town's yearly personnel budget.

While the town is certainly under financial constraints of its own incorporating a living wage into the budget will ultimately benefit Chapel Hill.

Employees who receive the rise in wages will likely funnel the additional earnings back to the town by buying local property goods and services.

The proposed wage increase is designed to allow town employees to live affordably in Chapel Hill where living costs are more expensive than in surrounding areas.

Workers who can afford local housing will also have access to a quality school system and free transportation options.

The town council will adopt a budget in June. Council members have so far been receptive to the living wage proposal.

Adopting it would be an important step in the right direction for Chapel Hill.