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Attachment A - Regional Minimum Wage Engagement Report <br />EXPLORING REGIONAL o _ <br />MINIMUM WAGE 0 <br />Executive Summary <br />Community engagement for the Exploring Regional Minimum Wage project was a <br />collaborative, multi -jurisdictional process conducted by the cities of Boulder, Longmont, <br />Lafayette, and Louisville and the Town of Erie. The process included 14 focus group <br />sessions with 213 total participants, an online questionnaire with 993 total respondents, <br />and several additional smaller, city -specific engagement strategies. The project engaged <br />hundreds of community members between all five municipalities over a two -month <br />engagement period. <br />The regional engagement summary provides a high-level overview of the themes, and <br />varied perspectives within those themes, that engagement staff heard consistently across <br />the region from community members and employers. These four themes included: <br />Purpose of Minimum Wage <br />o Belief that minimum wage should enable people to afford their basic needs, <br />improving human dignity and a sense of community. <br />o Belief that the minimum wage is not meant to be a living wage but instead a <br />training wage for inexperienced workers as they gain greater knowledge, <br />education, and skills. <br />Building an Attractive Community for Both Workers and Businesses <br />o Belief that higher wages may attract employees and result in higher <br />employee satisfaction and reduced turnover. <br />o Concerns that higher wages may force businesses, especially small <br />businesses, to close or move to other communities as well as terminate or <br />reduce hours and benefits for employees. <br />Regional Economic Impacts <br />o Belief that higher wages may lead to increased spending in the region, <br />stimulating economic growth and supporting businesses. <br />o Concerns that higher wages may drive up inflation and lead to an increase in <br />the cost of goods and services for the whole community, including minimum <br />wage earners. <br />Role of Government <br />o Belief that increasing the minimum wage is not the role of local government. <br />o Belief that local governments should economic focus on other policies that <br />address affordability and the cost of living, especially housing. <br />While this captures broader regional themes, each municipality created its own <br />engagement report which includes greater detail and nuanced information specific to each <br />community. <br />Item 2 - Minimum Wage Update 18 <br />11 <br />