Re “The drive for $25: Workers need and deserve to live better” (May 23): Kudos to Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera for his attack on hotels, he’ll get them no matter what. In the May 25 Opinion section, he pushes for a $25-per-hour wage for hotel workers, saying hotels are making hundreds of millions in profits and can afford the raise. Meanwhile, in a story in the first section of that day’s paper — “San Diego’s convention center in major disrepair. Can it be fixed?” — he proposes these same hotels should pay for fixing up the convention center because they benefit from people coming to the center. Using that same logic, shouldn’t he ask that restaurants, car rental agencies, etc., contribute because they also benefit? Of course, this ignores the fact that the city already collects the TOT (transient occupancy tax) on every hotel booking. How about letting the city use the funds it already collects for convention center repairs?
— Bruce Rotter, Escondido
When I first heard of the wage proposal, my thought was that the premise means well but the implementation, if adopted, would be discriminatory. There are numerous tourist industry jobs that are non-union and thus not included in this proposal. For example, my husband works on occasion for a friend’s security company that is hired for conventions. His job is not covered by the proposal and the pay he earns is less than $25 an hour.
This proposal appears to be union-driven and thus to benefit those who work as cleaners at hotels. I realize there are other jobs that it will cover but not all those who work in the tourist industry. It is a poorly drafted initiative.
— Sara Isgur, Mission Valley
