Proposal seeks 'living wage' for South Bend city employees

Spurred by efforts to provide a “living wage” to full-time employees nationwide, Mayor Pete Buttigieg pitched the plan this week to members of the Personnel and Finance Committee.

He did so as part of a broader presentation of the 2016 city budget.

As proposed, the wage for city employees would increase 95 cents per hour each of the next three years, or a total of $2.85.

The increase would affect about 300 seasonal, full- and part-time employees, costing the city about $20,000 next year, $61,000 in 2017 and $170,000 in 2018.

Most of the affected employees — about 78 percent — would be Parks and Recreation employees.

About a dozen city employees earn the absolute minimum wage of $7.25.