Memo

City of Lawrence

Department of Administrative Services

TO:                  David L. Corliss, City Manager

CC:                  Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager

                        Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

                        Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager

                        Toni Wheeler, Director of Legal Services

                        Roger Zalneraitis, Economic Development Coordinator/Planner

                        Lori Carnahan, Human Resources Manager

FROM:            Frank S. Reeb, Administrative Services Director/City Clerk

DATE:             January 29, 2009

RE:                   2009 Wage Floor

Pursuant to the City’s Tax Abatement Policy (Code Sections 1-2101 et seq.), the wage floor hourly wage is adjusted annually based on an annual wage “equal to one hundred thirty percent (130%) of the federal poverty threshold for a family of three (3), as established by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.”  The 2009 HHS Poverty Guidelines, published on January 23, 2009 in the Federal Register (Vol. 74, No. 14, Friday, January 23, 2009, pp. 4199-4201), establish the poverty level for a family of three at $18,310.  Therefore, the wage floor hourly wage will increase from $11.00 in 2008 to $11.44 for 2009 ($18,310 x 1.3 = $23,803/2080 = $11.44/hour). 

Here is a summary of the wage floor amounts since the inception of Ordinance 7706:

Year Wage Floor

2003 $9.53

2004 $9.79

2005 $10.06

2006 $10.38

2007 $10.73

2008 $11.00

2009 $11.44

We will send written notification of the 2009 wage floor to the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, the Kaw Valley Living Wage Alliance, AMARR Garage Door Group, Packerware/Berry Plastics and API Foils. 

If you have any questions, please let me know.