By Lisa Rein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 4, 2006; B05
Fairfax County will consider legislation intended to lift thousands of workers out of poverty by requiring the government and companies it does business with to pay far more than the federal minimum wage.
A so-called living wage ordinance, introduced yesterday by Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins (D-Hunter Mill), would bring Virginia's largest -- and wealthiest -- jurisdiction in line with the District and Alexandria and Montgomery, Prince George's and Arlington counties, which have adopted similar policies.
"Fairfax County . . . has worked to welcome all that want to live and do business in this county," said Hudgins, an advocate for those left behind economically in the region's most affluent suburb. The county has "made a commitment to assist the community by providing affordable housing," she said, "but for many, the wages they earn require three or four individuals working in a household to meet even the most modest housing cost." A full-time worker who receives the federal minimum wage has a salary of $10,712 a year.
More than 130 communities across the country have adopted living wage laws. But Virginia, a nonunion state, has long been unfriendly to proposals to raise the minimum wage, and the General Assembly rejected bills this year from two Northern Virginia lawmakers to raise the state's minimum wage, which has remained at $5.15 an hour since 1997.
Yet advocates for a higher hourly rate for low-income workers have taken their successful campaigns in Alexandria and Arlington to Fairfax in the past year, forming a coalition of church, labor and community leaders to press their case.
"A whole array of wages are under discussion," Hudgins said, referring to proposals to raise salaries of public safety workers and of the county supervisors. She reminded the board that Fairfax began contracting custodial work to private companies during the recession of the early 1990s, effectively lowering pay to minimum wage. "It's only fair we look back at what we can do with our own contracts," she said.
Details of a living wage law in Fairfax would have to be worked out, but in general, workers employed by the county or private companies that receive county contracts, tax breaks or other government assistance would be eligible. The law approved by the D.C. Council last month sets wages at $11.75 an hour and applies to an estimated 4,000 workers.
Although advocates say living wage laws have resulted in greater productivity among workers, the county's largest business group was skeptical of the need for legislation in Fairfax, a county with a 2.1 percent unemployment rate.
"We continue to provide high-paying jobs through our economic vitality and not by regulatory fiat," said William D. Lecos, president of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, which represents 1,000 businesses. Clayton Sinyai, chairman of Campaign for a Living Wage and political director of Laborers Local Union 11, representing Northern Virginia construction workers, said most Fairfax workers receive more than minimum wage. But he cited thousands of custodial workers, landscapers and parking attendants earning "poverty wages."
"As housing prices continue to go up, people can't afford to live here," said Sinyai, of Fairfax.
Board Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D), noting that Fairfax supported this year's efforts to raise the state minimum wage, said he was unsure whether the county would need permission from the General Assembly to adopt a wage law. Sinyai said state law allows local government to use wages as one factor in accepting bids. Efforts to repeal ordinances in Arlington and Alexandria failed in the General Assembly.
Also yesterday, supervisors heard brief testimony on a proposal to raise their pay 27 percent starting in 2008, pushing their annual salary to $75,000 from $59,000.
"In a tight budget situation, perhaps this is not the year to have such a big increase," tax opponent James Parmalee said.
A few supervisors took umbrage at the suggestion that the raise, which would be their first in eight years, wasn't justified. "I serve on 10 boards," said Elaine N. McConnell (R-Springfield). "If you think this is part time, you have a wrong impression."
The board will consider the raise as part of the county budget, which is scheduled for approval this spring.
Staff writer Bill Turque contributed to this report.
