Gloria to walk the walk for minimum-wagers

City council president Todd Gloria, who introduced the hotly contested ordinance calling for a minimum-wage increase and the provision of sick days, is embarking on a weeklong stint wherein he and supporters will attempt to live on the current California minimum wage of $9 per hour.

Dubbed the "Live the Wage Challenge," Gloria and supporters will attempt to maintain a weekly budget of $51 for food, transportation, and other expenses — the remainder of a full-time minimum-wage worker's paycheck is estimated to go toward rent and taxes, according to an affordability study performed earlier this year.

"I hope that through our experiences we can personify or explain why this is so necessary,” said Gloria in announcing the endeavor. "I'm doing this to highlight that they should not sign the deceptive petitions [to place a proposal to reverse the increase on the ballot]. I'm going to walk in the shoes of the people who have to live this life every single day."

Mayor Kevin Faulconer and former mayor/local chamber of commerce president Jerry Sanders, both of whom back a petition to place reversal of the measure before voters, have been challenged to undertake the same endeavor — neither have responded, though both sides will likely continue to seek media attention as the signature-gathering campaign continues.