January 30, 2017, Monday - Minimum Wage Listening Session at Day Block

Time: 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Location: Day Block Brewing, 1105 S Washington Avenue (there will be signage directing you to the meeting room)

Minimum Wage Listening Session, hosted by the East Town Business Partnership

The East Town Business Partnership is hosting a listening session in collaboration with the City of Minneapolis for the East Downtown business community to get input regarding the proposed minimum wage increase. City staff will lead this listening session, which is an opportunity to speak your voice in support or against, to ask questions and to hear what others say.

The City Council and Mayor Hodges are moving towards enacting city ordinance that will raise the minimum hourly wage rate within the City of Minneapolis to between $12 and $15/hour minimum from the current $9.50/hour minimum. This ordinance will affect every business within the city of Minneapolis, either directly or indirectly.

The Mayor, City Council and City staff working on this issue are looking for feedback from the entire community to help guide them on this very significant policy decision. This is a controversial issue with passionate arguments being made both for and against it. City staff are arranging listening sessions across the city to seek input. More information regarding the listening sessions is available on the City's website.

The East Town Business Partnership has volunteered to convene a listening session in our district, believing that it benefits its members to have a convenient opportunity to provide important feedback directly to city staff, unfiltered by intermediaries and in a familiar and comfortable environment.

A report issued several months ago to the City, authored by a team from the University of Minnesota - Humphrey School of Public Affairs, is available at the following link: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/meetings/legislation/WCMSP-187158

The City website contains additional background on this issue: http://www.minneapolismn.gov/minimumwage