News stories have reported strong support for an increased wage mandate in the City of San Francisco. However, more in-depth research shows that previous polls only scratched the surface of residents’ opinions’. When asked for their support level for an increased wage mandate coupled with other economic factors, residents overwhelmingly oppose a proposed $8.50 minimum wage that applies to all employers. When presented with alternatives, residents prefer targeted solutions to poverty.

On April 13, 2003 the San Francisco Chronicle reported poll results that showed 79 percent of likely voters were in favor of a citywide minimum wage of $8.50.2 EPI’s recent poll likewise found nearly 61 percent of San Francisco residents support the concept of a minimum wage of $8.50. However, support for this ordinance drops much further when residents learn of unintended consequences that result from this policy.