Mayor Urges Voters To Vote No On 300 In New TV Ad
DENVER (CBS4) - Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is speaking out against Initiative 300, saying the Paid Sick Day measure has unintended consequences for the city.
Hancock will appear in a television ad speaking out against the initiative which would require Denver employers with ten or more workers to provide nine sick days a year and those with fewer than 10 employees to provide five paid sick days.
The announcement from the mayor came arouned the same time the group Campaign for a Healthy Denver used families to show their support for the bill.
Hancock said businesses have told him the measure would create more red tape and if it passes, they would cut jobs and pay.
"This initiative is the wrong approach and worst possible time for this initiative to come forward," Hancock said at an event for a group called Keep Denver Competitive. It includes hundreds of businesses, trade associations and various chambers of commerce.
The Campaign for a Healthy Denver group is made up of community organizations, labor groups, faith leaders and public health groups.
That campaign turned to mothers to speak out in favor of the proposal. "Paid sick days are the right of all workers," said one of the mothers who spoke on behalf of The Campaign for a Healthily Denver.
"It affects our family everyday. When they are affected by workers who feel like they have to be at work and feel like they can't take the day, they can be affected, pick up those germs and pass them on to other kids."
They argue kids are forced to go to school sick when their parents don't have paid sick leave. They said initiative is good for families and businesses.
"It's good for business when healthy employees increased productivity, reduced turnover and, in the long run, saves business money," said Erin Bennett with Campaign for A Healthy Denver.
Both sides agree, it if passes Initiative 300 will cost Denver but how much is in dispute.
The city says it would have to spend $700,000 in a new bureaucracy while supporters of the bill say the price tag is less than $300,000 and will not require a bureaucracy because violations would be handled through complaints.
Denver voters will decide the fate of the Paid Sick Day Bill Nov. 1.
Watch the ad in its entirety in the YouTube video clip below:
