title
A Resolution of the County of Allegheny, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, supporting the initiative currently pending before the General Assembly to raise Pennsylvania's minimum wage from its current level of $5.15 per hour to $6.15 per hour in January 2006, and again to $7.15 in January of 2007, and further calling upon the Governor and General Assembly to take steps to foster economic growth in the Commonwealth, including the reduction of the corporate net income tax, elimination of the cap on the net operating loss carry-forward, and the elimination of the capital stock and franchise tax.
body
WHEREAS, the federal minimum wage has not been raised from $5.15 per hour since 1997; and
WHEREAS, an individual earning only $5.15 per hour can work a 40 hour week and take home only $10,712 per year, an amount which is only 22% of the median income of all Americans, and which would place that individual two thousand dollars below the poverty level if he or she has only one child; and
WHEREAS, for an individual with only one child, at least $6.17 per hour must be earned in order to reach the Federal Poverty Level, and for an individual with two children this need increases to at least $7.36 per hour; and
WHEREAS, approximately 20,000 workers in Allegheny County currently earn less than $6.15 per hour; and
WHEREAS, seventeen states and the District of Columbia have already increased their minimum wage rates in order to provide for the needs of their residents, with new rates set as high as $7.35; and
WHEREAS, states in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions have been particularly active in raising their minimum wage rates, with New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota all having set rates that exceed the federally mandated minimum wage; and
WHEREAS, a healthy economic climate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is absolutely essential for the future economic health of Allegheny County; and
WHEREAS, to create jobs at any wage level, Pennsylvania must become an attractive place to start or expand a business; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has already lost 47,000 manufacturing jobs in the past two years, with a disproportionate toll in Allegheny County.
The Council of the County of Allegheny hereby resolves as follows:
SECTION 1.
County Council hereby expresses its sense that a new minimum wage rate should be set at a level that does not put our businesses at a competitive disadvantage, but that goes as far as possible to help working families break out of poverty. Accordingly, Council expresses its support for the initiative currently pending before the General Assembly to raise Pennsylvania's minimum wage rate from $5.15 per hour to $6.15 per hour beginning in January 2006, and again to $7.15 per hour beginning in January 2007.
SECTION 2.
This Council further calls on the Governor and General Assembly to take steps to foster economic growth in the Commonwealth, including the reduction of the corporate net income tax, elimination of the cap on the net operating loss carry-forward, and the elimination of the capital stock and franchise tax.
SECTION 3.
Copies of this Resolution shall be transmitted to the General Assembly and the Office of the Governor.
SECTION 4.
If any provision of this Resolution shall be determined to be unlawful, invalid, void or unenforceable, then that provision shall be considered severable from the remaining provisions of this Resolution which shall be in full force and effect.
SECTION 5.
Any Resolution or Ordinance or part thereof conflicting with the provisions of this Resolution is hereby repealed so far as the same affects this Resolution.