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Raising the Arizona Minimum Wage
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Vote YES on Proposition 202 -- November 7, 2006
PASSED -- Thank you for your support!
All spring a fight has been going on, a fight to raise the minimum wage for working Americans. This fight has been taking place in Washington, DC, but has also been an issue set before the Arizona State Legislature for several years. So what is going on!!
At the Federal Level we are asking our Representatives and Senators to raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour in a bill that does not include other tax breaks or issues. When such a bill is passed, it would not take effect immediately nor would it automatically increase the hourly wage, but would step it up from $5.15 to $7.25, gradually over a set period of time. This increase would be mandatory across all 50 states, but would not supersede state’s that have higher minimum wage standards.
Tired of waiting for Congress and the Arizona State Legislature to act, a group concerned about working Arizonans living in abject poverty formed a coalition to take the idea to the people. In so doing, Proposition 202, when passed, will raise the Arizona state minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.75 per hour beginning on January 1, 2007. This raise will be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index. This increase will raise the gross income of a full-time (40 hour/week) worker by $3,328.00 per year – a lot of money for those who are skipping meals to make ends meet!
So which proposal should YOU support?? BOTH, is the answer. When the Federal Poverty level is raised it will take sometime to enact; when the Arizona Proposition 2002 is passed it will increase people’s paychecks immediately in 2007. When the Federal Poverty increase is put in place, if the Arizona Minimum Wage is lower than the Federal level, it will automatically increase. If the Arizona Minimum Wage is higher it will continue in force. Working together, both increases will help Arizonans become closer to self sustenance and provide hope for the future.
For further information, resources, speakers and materials, call WHEAT at 602-955-5076, a member of the Arizona Minimum Wage Coalition working with faith based communities and organizations to raise the minimum wage in Arizona!
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DOWNLOADABLE RESOURCES:
Power Point Presentation
for Faith Communities in Arizona on the Minimum Wage Initiative
This Power Point Presentation includes information on WHEAT, Interfaith Worker
Justice, the Initiative itself and hunger and poverty statistics relevant to Arizona.
This is a large Power Point File and takes some
time to download. It is easier to click on the link above and then
"save" to your computer before opening.
Let Justice Roll
Resources for Faith Communities to Participate in RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE
A 41-page document filled with ideas for services, sermons and tools to
encourage others to get involved in the Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage in Arizona.
Must have .PDF to open
"A Just Minimum Wage: Good for Workers,
Business and Our Future" By Holly Sklar & Rev. Paul Sherry
Makes a powerful economic and moral case for raising the minimum wage and
moving the U.S. from a low-road economy to the high road of enduring economic
progress. A job should keep you out of poverty, not keep you in it.
Must have .PDF to open
"Waging a Living:
Opportunities for Action"
This report examines the state of America's low-income workers, provides
examples of programs that have successfully increased access to health care,
education or training, and makes suggestions for getting involved in making a
difference. Produced by The Hatcher Group. (PDF, 320KB) Must have .PDF to open
"Waging A Living: Delve Deeper"
Suggested list of books,videos and websites produced in collaboration with the
American Library Association and P.O.V Must have .PDF to open
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SPECIAL LINKS:
Let Justice Roll
http://www.letjusticeroll.org/justminimumwage.html
Arizona Minimum Wage Coalition
http://www.azminimumwage.com
Interfaith Worker Justice
http://www.iwj.org
POV:Waging A Living
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2006/wagingaliving/
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