Taylor Rips Possible Living-Wage Ordinance

The day after county supervisors announced the board will take up a living-wage ordinance this fall, Supervisor Steve Taylor criticized the idea as "ill-advised."

County Supervisor David Bowen told a crowd at a Labor Day rally Monday that companies contracted by the county to employ service workers should meet a new wage standard based on federal poverty guidelines, according to a Journal Sentinel report. 


Taylor, noting a similar proposal pertaining to a Wauwatosa project was defeated earlier this summer, said a living-wage requirement would deter companies from doing business with Milwaukee County.

"Given the current less-than-favorable economic outlook, a resolution of this kind is misguided, out of touch with reality and would do more harm than good to Milwaukee County residents," said Taylor, who represents Hales Corners and most of Oak Creek and Franklin on the board. "It is a questionable short term fix that will have long term negative effects on the county's economic well-being.

"Should an ordinance change with respect to minimum wage be proposed, rest assured that I will be working with my like-minded colleagues on the Board to stop it." 

Supporters of the ordinance told the Journal Sentinel that companies receiving public money should provide a living wage to keep their workers off public assistance—otherwise, taxpayers essentially pay the workers twice.