$8.50 an hour, minimum

SAN FRANCISCO COULD become the first big city in the country to establish a reasonable minimum wage, setting an important national precedent and challenging the Bush administration's efforts to increase the gap between the rich and the poor. Backed by San Francisco Board of Supervisors president Matt Gonzalez, a measure that would require all local businesses to pay at least $8.50 an hour will be on the November ballot – if organizers can collect some 10,000 valid signatures by July 7. It's a sizable task with a short deadline; everyone who sees the petitions on the streets ought to sign them.

The proposal would boost wages for at least 54,000 private-sector low-income laborers. For most businesses, the costs would be relatively minor (a UC Berkeley Institute of Industrial Relations study shows that 77 percent of local businesses would see less than a 1 percent increase in their operating expenses; go to www.iir.berkeley.edu/livingwage). In fact, there are plenty of credible national studies indicating that increases in the minimum wage improve the business climate.

Since consumer spending is the key to ending the recession, putting more money in the pockets of people most likely to spend it makes good economic sense.

Volunteers will be collecting signatures starting this week. Sign the petition.

To get involved go to www.sfminimumwage.org, call (415) 255-9494, or visit the campaign headquarters at 742 14th St., S.F.