Public Comment

A savvy community organizer correctly commented that "injustice never takes a vacation". As a result millions of Americans are victimized by the outrageous and growing inequality that dominates their daily lives. Their standard of living suffers and it is getting worse. Even a growing number of full time workers are compelled to support themselves and their families by being employed in poverty wage jobs. In fact, the hardships experienced by many workers is so oppressive that they rarely experience the joy of living.

Our East Bay Tax the Rich Group has for over 4 1/2 years attempted to address issues of inequality. Among our tasks has been to work in coalition with other organizations and activists to improve wages. As a result, the Berkeley City Council was persuaded to enact a minimum wage law. What was won is certainly better than before. But it is nowhere near enough. So a coalition of labor, community organizations, and activists have gathered enough signatures to place an improved minimum wage initiative on the ballot in November.

In Contrast, the majority of the Berkeley City Council, taking its cues from the Chamber of Commerce, wants no raise at all for poverty wage workers. But not surprisingly, they are attempting to kill the ballot measure in a way that makes them look like good guys and gals. Briefly, rather than enacting its own minimum wage law, the Council prefer to put on the ballot an alternative minimum wage measure. As those who are experienced with ballot measures realize, with two minimum wage options on the ballot box, the chances of either one obtaining over 50% will be at best extremely difficult. So the good fight continues--uphill of course. 

It is this enormous gap between the establishment's rhetoric and actual conduct that mostly explains why the Tax the Rich Group and other progressive organizations have been on the streets for so many years. It is immensely important to help others understand that what they think many elected officials are doing FOR them is actually being done TO them!  

But circumstances now require us to suspend our Tax the Rich group rallies until September. Monday June 6 will be our last rally until then. 

Although many of us work on different issues, there is something very important that we have in common. A major objective of our work is to do what we can to make the joy of living possible for others. There is no greater calling!