Deceiving Voters

Councilmember Carl DeMaio mislead voters about the true impact of his initiative, repeatedly refusing to give a straight answer on whether it bans the Living Wage Ordinance.

From the moment DeMaio started collecting signatures in December 2009, till he dropped the initiative on July 1st, he mislead voters about what his initiative would actually do. Petition signers were not told the truth, and DeMaio didn’t admit his initiative would ban the Living Wage.

The Union-Tribune questions Carl DeMaio, 6/27/10

Excerpts | View original interview

QUESTION: So will or will it not repeal the living wage ordinance?

DEMAIO: I’ve gotten two different opinions, two contrary opinions.

This is DeMaio’s initiative. Does he really not know what it will do?

QUESTION: What was your intent?

DEMAIO: My intent was not to do anything with the living wage. …So when this argument on living wage came up, I was like, I don’t understand where they’re getting that from. …

QUESTION: So the council could take further action to reinstitute something akin to a living wage, but as things now stand if this took place there’s no requirement that the living wage obligation as it now exists in law be met?

DEMAIO: Exactly.

DeMaio finally, obscurely, admits the initiative would overturn the Living Wage law.  Now, when will he start telling voters the truth?

KPBS Radio questions DeMaio, 6/14/10

One possible translation of this non-answer: “Minimum wage is good enough for everyone.”

The living wage law already provides a “level playing field” for city contractors.  But they want the field at a lower wage level, so this measure would push it to rock bottom.