Lopes Makes Minimum Wage, Gun Proposals

A measure being proposed by Ward 6 City Councillor Joe Lopes would require that all businesses which receive Tax Increment Financing or STA from the City of New Bedford pay their employees ten percent above the minimum wage.

While some communities have pushed for $15 an hour minimum wage Lopes tells WBSM News this measure will help to ensure that people living and working in New Bedford continue to receive a decent paycheck.

"But as the minimum wage goes up, or the Fight for 15 changes down the road, you haven't changed the minimum, the minimum at that date," said Lopes "so I want to continue to set it at ten percent above what the actual wage is so it'll continually advance as the TIFs go on and the years go on."

Lopes is also proposing a measure directing the Chief of Police to deny a License to Carry a firearm to anyone who may be on the Federal government's "no fly list".

Lopes calls the measure a common sense move and he hopes that, by doing this, New Bedford will set an example for the rest of the country to follow.

"This is, I think, one of those opportunities where a city like New Bedford can be in the lead and set the precedent for other communities to follow and hopefully you'll see more states getting involved and then you'll see Congress making the right decisions," said Lopes.

The New Bedford City Council will address the issue at their next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday.