Commentary on urbanism and nonprofit communications by Jeff Muckensturm.
Maryland governor, Martin O’Malley, signed a bill yesterday mandating a living wage for all workers of companies with government contracts valued over $100,000. The bill requires that workers in urban areas to be paid at least $11.30 and hour and workers in rural areas be paid at least $8.50 per hour. Both wage rates will be adjusted annually for inflation.
This is a boost for the living wage movement’s goal to create equitable communities. Let’s hope more states follow Maryland’s example.
Despite growing evidence that questions the validity of “normal” lie detectors, the UK is considering using lie detecting software to catch welfare cheats over the phone.
Luckily, there’s sharp criticism coming from welfare advocates. “If people know that their voices are to be analyzed for every blip and tremor, the danger is that genuine claimants will be intimidated into withdrawing their claims, or will have to wait ages for their money while they provide extra evidence.”
Source: IT Week
American cities are beginning to embrace banning cars from parks to allow for pedestrians, bicyclists, and joggers. New York is closing roads in Central park this summer, Philadelphia is closing roads in Fairmount Park for a few days, and even small towns like Davenport, Iowa are creating pedestrian-only roads.
According to the Christian-Science Monitor, American cities are inspired by Latin American cities:
The model city for road closure is Bogotá, Colombia, which in 1983 embarked on a program called ciclovia (bike path), in which designated streets were closed to cars every Sunday but open for jogging, biking, dancing, playing ball, walking pets, strolling with babies – anything but driving. One-and-a-half million people now turn out each week for ciclovia. Other cities in Latin America followed suit, closing parts of parks or whole urban districts to cars – some intermittently, some permanently. A result: revitalized neighborhoods and an influx of people.
Sounds like a win for reducing global warming and high urban obesity rates.
Source: Christian-Science Monitor