How San Diego Is a Petri Dish for the ALEC Agenda

[marmar]

How San Diego Is a Petri Dish for the ALEC Agenda

Wednesday, 22 July 2015 00:00
By Brendan Fischer, PR Watch | News Analysis


This week, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) descends on San Diego, California for its annual meeting of lobbyists and legislators.

In many ways, San Diego is an appropriate setting for ALEC's conference. Beyond the walls of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, where ALEC members convene under heavy security and behind closed doors, the city known as "America's Finest" has been a major battleground in the corporate-backed resistance to local control over paid sick days and the minimum wage.

It was at ACCE's last meeting, held in Washington D.C. in December, where an ALEC task force director claimed that "the biggest threat comes from the local level" when it comes to grassroots efforts to raise the wage and enact paid sick days, and warned that "we are seeing a number of localities that have increased their minimum wage."

San Diego is one of them. One year ago, the San Diego City Council voted 6-3 to raise the minimum wage for 172,000 workers to $11.50 by 2017, and to allow at least 279,000 workers to earn paid sick days.

Mayor Kevin Faulconer opposed the measure, but it passed the city council after hundreds of people packed hearings in support. Former basketball star Bill Walton testified in favor of the bill and urged the council to adopt the proposal, which he called "good economics and good public policy." .................(more)

http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/32003-how-san-diego-is-a-petri-dish-for-the-alec-agenda

[DBoon]

1. Manchester Grand owner bankrolled CA Prop 8

Fitting they would choose that location