PHOTO/TIM D’EMILIO
By Rev. Dr. Edwin L. Jones, Sr; Pastor, Living Faith Baptist Church and International Ministries, Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, DC — The closing rally for support of the Larger Retailer Accountability Act 2013 (LRAA), was held at the John Wilson Building in Washington, DC, where approximately 150 people attended. The bill would require large retailers that grossed more than $1 billion a year and had stores larger than 75,000 square feet to pay workers $12.50 per hour. As the city council voted 7 to 6 in favor of the bill, a vote of 9 to 5 was needed to override the veto of the bill by DC Mayor Vincent Gray. Speakers representing clergy, retail workers, unions, and other civic groups spoke and were in agreement that we had not lost this fight, but were actually betrayed by our elected officials, and that they were more influenced by corporate interest than the citizens that they were elected to represent.
It’s not over. We did not lose because many elected officials were exposed for who they really are, shown by the votes against this bill and the veto. Surveys conducted by advocate groups, civic groups and one by Hart Research Associates, reflected clearly that the citizens (registered voters) of Washington DC, first, did not want the mayor to veto the bill and, once he did, they wanted the city council to override the veto (www.hartresearch.com).
DC voters supported the LRAA (71%) and wanted the City Council to override the mayor’s veto. A very strong statement in the Hart Research Associates report says, “We can identify no significant group of D.C. voters—by age, education, geography, race or party affiliation—that supports the veto.” Our coalition that has worked toward the passing of the LRAA has surveyed persons in the communities that, according to our elected officials, would be affected in a negative way if the bill passed (they called it a job killer.) They also complained that large retailers would not want to come to DC. Once the facts were honestly presented to the community regarding $8.25 vs. $12.50 and issues concerning benefits, at least 85% of those we interviewed wanted the mayor to sign the bill.
Supporters of the LRAA are saying loud and clear, “It’s Not Over.” We see our elected officials trying to cover their abuse and neglect of the citizens of DC, now introducing three proposed bills for a new minimum wage, and another bill establishing a commission for the purpose of making recommendations to the mayor and city council concerning the revising of the minimum wage. All I can say concerning these attempts is LOL. The supporters in DC of Living/Livable wages are prepared to take this fight forward. It’s not over.
