Memorandum
City of Lawrence
City Manager’s Office
TO: David L. Corliss, City Manager
CC: Cynthia Wagner, Assistant City Manager
Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Jonathan Douglas, Assistant to the City Manager
Toni Wheeler, Director of Legal Services
FROM: Roger Zalneraitis, Economic Development Coordinator/Planner
DATE: January 27, 2010
RE: 2010 Wage Floor
Pursuant to the City’s Economic Development 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 2010 HHS Poverty Guidelines, published on January 22, 2010 in the Federal Register (Vol. 75, No. 14, Friday, January 22, 2010, pp. 3734-3735), announced that there would be no change in the poverty until at least March 1, 2010. Congress authorized that the 2009 poverty rates would remain in effect “in order to prevent a reduction in eligibility for certain means-tested programs, including Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and child nutrition, through March 1, 2010.” (Congressional Record (House) (December 16, 2009, p. H15370))
As a result, the poverty level for a family of three remains at $18,310. Therefore, the wage floor hourly wage will remain at $11.44 for 2010 ($18,310 x 1.3 = $23,803/2080 = $11.44/hour) until further notice.
Here is a summary of the wage floor since 2003:
Year Wage Floor
2003 $9.53
2004 $9.79
2005 $10.06
2006 $10.38
2007 $10.73
2008 $11.00
2009 $11.44
2010 $11.44
We will send written notification of the 2010 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.