Proposed living wage would keep county workers above poverty line

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A new proposal in Milwaukee County would require companies that have a contract or sub-contract with the county to pay their full-time employees a wage that keeps them above the federal poverty line.

For a family of four to stay above the federal poverty line, the household needs to being in $23,500 a year. Milwaukee County Board Supervisor David Bowen is in full support of the Living Wage Ordinance.

"These public dollars can be leveraged so that we are creating good jobs in our community that will allow people to support their families," said Bowen.

Board Executive Steve Taylor believes the idea would keep developers from investing in the county.

"I definitely don't think local government should be setting wages for businesses and developers and I think that is the worst path to go down," said Taylor. "Instead of looking at the best project, you're looking at who is going to pay their employees better and that's not what we should be doing."

In order to support a family of four and stay above the poverty line, a worker would need to make $11.35 an hour. Bowen says that's a reasonable wage to ask from companies seeking a service contract.

"Public policy should be connected to the public good and a lot of the jobs that our service contracts provide in Milwaukee County, these are jobs that aren't paying enough, so these workers can pay their families and support their families and children," said Bowen.

Although Taylor opposed the ordinance, he believes most supervisors agree with Bowen.

"I'm guessing it's going to pass the County Board. I'm hopeful, then, the County Executive will veto it, but then you're going to need seven supervisors to come together and say 'this is bad policy' because that's what it's going to take to kill this ordinance," explained Taylor.

Bowen says his goal is to get the ordinance drafted in time for the Board's September session.

A spokesman for County Executive Chris Abele says Abele wants to see more specifics within the proposal before deciding whether or not he supports it.