Since 1994, so-called "living wage" ordinances have passed in 20 cities in the United States, and activists are advancing similar proposals throughout the country. These proposals are a response to the declining real wages of low-wage workers in the United States-what David Gordon termed "the...

In February 2002, New Orleans endorsed with a 63 percent majority a ballot initiative to establish a citywide minimum wage one dollar above the federal minimum. We surveyed New Orleans businesses in 1999 to estimate this proposal’s costs. We present the main results from this survey. We then...

The economic logic and moral imperative of living wages -- Debating living wage laws : Paul Krugman versus Robert Pollin -- A $6.15 minimum wage for New Orleans : what it would have meant for businesses -- The Santa Fe citywide living wage measure : the impact on business of the $8.50 standard...

In early 2007, there were approximately 140 living wage ordinances in place throughout the United States. Communities around the country frequently debate new proposals of this sort. Additionally, as a result of ballot initiatives, twenty-nine states and the District of Columbia, representing...