Reverend Willie Pride testified in front of the Yakima City Council about the proposal to raise the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“I’m a citizen here in Yakima and I want to thank the council for all that you’ve done for our city and being a new comer I’ve seen a lot of results in that area.
I’m here tonight to speak on the $15 proposal and you see that ones are standing behind me.
I’ve found that as an advocate for people and as I was sitting there thinking about being from the South, a lot of times and paid not even the minimum wage, and I’m talking about back in the 60’s when the minimum wage was like 75 cents an hour and then it went to $1.25 an hour and here we are in 2015 and all we are saying as part of the $15 amount is that we need something.
I mean, the folks on this level need something to live on. And $15 we’re asking and you notice the signs and the young people as well, that’s not asking for a lot. We’re not asking for a handout
As we heard one speaker earlier they work and the hours and still they are basically just surviving. So we just want to say to the council to consider that for Yakima.
I know that you can’t do anything about it tonight, but just think about what’s been said to you and presented to you about $15 an hour.”