BREAKING NEWS

Media Advisory: September 8, 2014

Contact: Sarah Nolan, CAFe Executive Director
(575) 520-1624 sarah@organizenm.org
CAF faith leaders Witness a Switched Vote at City Council Meeting Today
Vote Clearly Causes Confusion and Raise Questions over the Motives of the Mayor and Councilors,
particularly the 2 Councilors who crafted the earlier ordinance for a modest increase of only
$8.50/hour in 2016
LAS CRUCES Today Las Cruces, NM becomes the 6th municipality in the country to raise the
minimum wage setting the wage in the 2nd largest city in New Mexico to $10.10 by 2017. Supporters
have said that increasing the wage to this level will effectively raise thousands up and out of poverty,
generate $10 million into the local economy, and grow the middle class.
Mayor Ken Miyagishima (D) along with 3 City Councilors, Miguel Silva (D-1), Ceil Levatino (R-6),
and Mayor Pro Tem Greg Smith (D-2) voted yes to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 by 2017 after
each of them voted for a modest increase to $8.50/hour over the next couple of years back in June 2nd of
this year. In fact, Councilors Silva and Levatino crafted the ordinance and put it before the city council
for a vote that did not include improved wages for tipped earners, nor were any of the four willing to
compromise at that time for a wage higher than $8.50.
City Councilors Nathan Small (D-4), Olga Pedroza (D-3), and Gil Sorg (D-5) voted no with a clear
explanation that they wanted to honor this historic moment in the City of Las Cruces and let the people
of Las Cruces vote. Councilor Pedroza reiterated that she was proud to be a part of a community and
moment where so many constituents were eager to participate in the democratic process. Councilors
Small, Pedroza, and Sorg all made it very clear that they were for raising the minimum wage to $10.10
to 2017 but were in support of the democratic process and letting Las Cruces voters decide.
This is a victory for 18,000 Las Cruces workers who got a raise to $10.10 today, explained Sarah
Nolan, Executive Director of NM CAFe, but now the work ahead of us is making sure to protect the
integrity of the ordinance for $10.10. She added, Clearly those who voted for the $10.10 today were
opposed to it just 3 months ago, so every Las Cruces citizen should be asking, what was their
motive?.
We will celebrate CAFes faith communitys victory to improve wages to $10.10 by 2017 for the
18,000 low-wage and undervalued workers in Las Cruces, but our work doesnt stop here, exclaimed
campaign manager, Angelica Rubio. We need to make sure the Mayor and City Council protects and
preserves the citizen led ordinance for $10.10, and not turn around and gut it tomorrow. All eyes are on
them to do the right thing for Las Cruces as others have modeled around the country. If they gut it
before the end of the year, then each one of their constituents will know the motive behind their vote
today.
For more information call Angelica Rubio at (575) 616-1151 or refer to CAFs website: www.OrganizeNM.org. If you are
not a registered voter, look for our volunteers wearing the black Let My People Vote t-shirts around the community
or come by our CAF office located at 133 Wyatt Drive, Suite #1.

Join the Dignity Movement! This is the beginning of our dignity movement in Las Cruces and across the nation. We are
building a multi-faith community of leaders that values all of Gods children and brings dignity to the forefront.
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CAF is a multi-faith, multi-cultural group that trains and builds the capacity of low and moderate-income families to help
shape public policies aimed at improving people's quality of life in New Mexico.