The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington is calling for a minimum wage increase that will help workers make ends meet but will not place too steep a financial burden on employers.
That is one of the issues the approximately 125 activists are expected to bring up in Annapolis Feb. 13 during Advocacy Day. Other issues they hope to bring to the attention of state legislators include expanding prekindergarten programs and making it easier for victims of domestic abuse to obtain protective orders.
A request for $1 million for building renovations at the Jewish Community Center in Rockville and money for the area’s Jewish agencies will also be discussed, according to Joshua Sztorc, Maryland government and community relations associate at the JCRC.
While championing a fair minimum wage increase, the JCRC is not advocating a particular rate. Instead, Sztorc explained, it hopes legislators will look at the issue from many angles, including the wage owner, the demands on agencies that service the needs of low-income workers and the employers who will have to pay the higher wages.
– Suzanne Pollak
