CRYSTAL: HI, EVERYBODY.

TONIGHT ON GREATER BOSTON, RESIDENTS OF A PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDING IN BOSTON WERE TRAPPED FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THEIR ONLY ELEVATOR BROKE.

SO WHAT WENT WRONG AND WHAT ABOUT OTHER PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDINGS IN THE STATE?

I WILL TALK TO A LOCAL PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENT AND ADVOCATE AND HEAD OF THE PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITY.

LATER, THE FIGHT TO RAISE THE STATEMENT AMONG WAGE TO $20 AN HOUR TO CATCH UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING.

TRAPPED IN THEIR OWN HOMES FOR MORE THAN TWO WEEKS.

THAT WAS THE REALITY FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX IN THE SOUTH END OF THE BUILDING'’S ONLY ELEVATOR WAS BROKEN DOWN.

THAT ELEVATOR WAS FIXED AFTER 15 DAYS TILDE ELDERLY AND DISABLED RESIDENTS WERE FINALLY ABLE TO LEAVE THE BUILDING BUT IT WAS A ROUGH TWO WEEKS WITHOUT THE ELEVATOR.

AS RESIDENTS TOLD GBH NEWS, IT WAS FAR FROM THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM.

>> I DO NOT WANT TO BE TRAPPED.

I DO NOT WANT TO BE TRAPPED.

>> I CANNOT EVEN CHECK MY MAIL.

IT IS IN ANOTHER BUILDING.

YOU CANNOT ORDER ANYTHING BECAUSE KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BRING IT UP TO THE FIFTH FLOOR.

>> I HAVE SCIATICA IN MY BACK.

I HAVE CROHN'’S DISEASE.

I DEPEND ON THAT ELEVATOR TO GET ME DOWNSTAIRS AND UP.

>> I HAVE A HAND CYCLE.

I WRITE IT EVERY DAY SOMETIMES.

THAT IS WHAT HELPS ME LIVE LIFE.

FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET OUT EVERY DAY.

>> I HAVE BEEN HERE THREE YEARS.

THIS ELEVATOR BEEN BREAKING DOWN NOW LIKE TWICE A WEEK.

AND THEN WE ARE STUCK.

>> THE WORST IS WHEN THE CHILDREN GET TRAPPED.

.

THEY DON'’T UNDERSTAND.

THEY ARE IN THE ELEVATOR SCREAMING.

SOME OF THEM DON'’T LIKE TO GET ON THE ELEVATOR.

THEY GET ON.

IF IT MAKES A FUNNY NOISE, THEY IMMEDIATELY GET FEARFUL BECAUSE THEY DON'’T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

♪ I FEEL LIKE THIS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IF I DID NOT LIVE IN MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY.

CRYSTAL: ISSUES OF ACCESS EXTEND BEYOND THE APARTMENTS IN THE SOUTH END.

PUBLIC HOUSING BUILDINGS ACROSS GREATER BOSTON HAVE FACED SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

THAT IS AS BROOKLYN PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENT ARLENE HILL KNOWS ALL TOO WELL ALONG WITH PHILIP HELLMAN, A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON INTERFAITH ORGANIZATION AND OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY KENZIE BOK.

APPRECIATE YOU ALL BEING HERE.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU FIRST.

I IMAGINE HEARING THE COMPLAINTS, HEARING THOSE STORIES, A LOT OF FOLKS CHARACTERIZE THIS AS THE BUCK STOPS WITH YOU ALL.

KENZIE: ABSOLUTELY.

FOR ME I STARTED AS A MINISTRY TO OF THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.

HAVING THIS HAPPEN SO EARLY HAS TOTALLY FOCUSED ME ON HOW WE CAN DO BETTER.

THE BHA HAS A LOT OF GREAT PROTOCOL IN PLACE.

WE DID ACTUALLY MOVE SEVERAL OF THOSE RESIDENTS TO HOTELS AS THE PERIOD LENGTHENED.

THE REALITY IS IT IS EXACTLY AS OUR RESIDENT SAID.

IT IS NOT A WAY WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE LIVING.

WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT WAYS WE CAN HAVE THESE ELEVATORS BE MUCH MORE DEPENDABLE.

THIS WAS A SPECIFIC CRISIS.

THE FRUSTRATION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE PART WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THIS WAS BEYOND.

OBVIOUSLY WE ARE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET AS MANY OF THESE VULNERABLE ELEVATORS IN A STAY AS WE CAN.

THE LIMITATION IS THE PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR WE GET GIVEN IN CAPITAL FUNDING TO DO THIS WORK.

CRYSTAL: ARLENE, -- ARLENE: IT IS NOT JUST ELEVATORS PAIRED I BROKE MY WRIST LAST CHRISTMAS BECAUSE MY FRONT THREE STEPS WERE CRUMBLING AND FALLING APART.

THE DIRECTOR OF MY HOUSE CARES ABOUT US.

I KNOW HE DOES.

IT IS NOT THEIR FAULT.

IT IS NOT A LAKE THEY GOT MONEY SITTING ON SAYING WE ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND IT ON YOU.

THE STATE HAS NOT HISTORICALLY GIVEN US WHAT WE NEEDED.

HE IS OUR MONEY GUY.

I KNOW IT IS A LOT.

HE CAN TELL YOU IT IS A LOT OF MONEY THE STATE HAS NOT PUT INTO US OVER A LONG TIME.

CRYSTAL: TELL US.

PHILIP: WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE ONGOING MAINTENANCE AND ISSUES LIKE ELEVATORS.

THAT IS THE TRAGEDY.

THIS HAS BEEN IN NEGLECT FOR A LONG TIME.

THE NUMBER -- OPERATING SUBSIDY FOR STATEWIDE FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE AT ABOUT 107 WHICH HAS GONE THROUGH LEGISLATION.

THE GREATER NEED IS 184.

ON TOP OF THAT WE HAVE CAPITAL ISSUES WITH PUBLIC HOUSING.

WE NEED A .5 BILLION.

I KNOW THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT.

CRYSTAL: JUST IN MASSACHUSETTS?

PHILIP: JUST IN MASSACHUSETTS.

THIS IS TRULY JUST THE NEED.

DID A LOT OF WORK AND STUDY TO PUT THAT NUMBER TOGETHER.

WHEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE YEARS OF MAINTENANCE THAT JUST WAS NOT DONE AND YOU GOT THINGS LIKE ROOFS, HEATING, LARGE TICKET ITEMS THAT BRING BUILDINGS BACK UP TO CODE.

WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO BUT THERE IS HOPE.

WE BELIEVE THE BOND BILL COMING OUT MAY BE IN A POSITION TO HELP US ADDRESS SOME OF THESE NEEDS.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT THE GOVERNOR WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD AS HER BOND BILL.

CRYSTAL: I KNOW MASSACHUSETTS HAS A LARGER IF NOT THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF PUBLIC HOUSING IN THE COUNTRY, SO HOW DO YOU WRAP YOUR ARMS AROUND NUMBERS LIKE IN THE BILLIONS LIKE PHIL WAS TALKING ABOUT?

KENZIE: THE BOSTON AUTHORITY IS THE BIGGEST HOUSING AUTHORITY IN THE REGION.

WE HAVE ABOUT ONE AND A HALF BILLION IN DEFERRED CAPITAL.

IT IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM.

I THINK IT IS A COMBINATION OF -- WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO TRY TO CHIP AWAY AT IT DAY BY DAY.

OUR RESIDENCE LIKE THE ONES YOU SAW THERE, THEY DESERVE BETTER.

THIS ELEVATOR HERE, WE ARE UPGRADING OVER THE COURSE OF THIS FALL.

NOW BECAUSE WE SAW HOW IT FAILED, WE ARE UPGRADING THE THREE AT ITS SISTER'’S THAT CAME IN AT THE SAME TIME.

IF THIS ONE FAILED, THERE IS PROBABLY A SIMILAR PROBLEM.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS 20 YEARS OLD IT IS ONE OF THE NEWER ELEVATORS IN THE SYSTEM SHOULD WE CAN BE PROACTIVE ABOUT SAYING LET'’S NOT JUST DO THE ONE.

LET'’S DO THE FOUR TO ACROSS MY PORTFOLIO I HAVE 105 ELEVATORS.

IT IS A COMBINATION OF YOU NEED YOUR PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN AND BEING SMART ABOUT OUR MONEY AND TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF PROBLEMS LIKE THIS BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE JUST NEED MORE RESOURCES.

ARLENE: I THINK IT IS A PROBLEM OF THE STATE, THE COUNTRY.

THEY DON'’T LOOK AT PEOPLE WHO ARE OLDER, ARE DISABLED, COME FROM TRAUMA, HAVE ISSUES.

WE ARE THE OTHERS.

WE ARE THE OTHERS NO ONE LIKES TO THINK ABOUT.

PUTS US IN BOX WE DO NOT BELONG IN.

CRYSTAL: WE WERE TALKING ABOUT -- I GREW UP IN PUBLIC HOUSING IN SPRINGFIELD.

WHEN YOU ARE IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE A NEED FOR THE BUILDING, THE ONLY HOME YOU HAVE AND CANNOT GET THAT MET, IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING.

YOU MENTIONED YOU BROKE YOUR WRIST RECENTLY.

TALKED TO ME ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST IN PUBLIC HOUSING.

ARLENE: I LOVE WHERE I LIVE.

I HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD.

EVERY NATIONALITY, EVERY TYPE OF PERSON.

I LOVE WHERE I LIVE.

THE PEOPLE ARE GREAT BUT IT IS SO DEMORALIZING.

MY CEILING FELL ON MY FACE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES.

THE CEILING.

THEY JUST DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY.

OUR VOICES ARE NOT HEARD.

I DON'’T WANT TO SAY WHY BUT THIS YEAR I HAVE MET WITH THE GOVERNOR.

I WAS VERY IMPRESSED.

SHE LISTENED TO ME.

SHE CARED.

I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO CARE.

PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO SAY THEY DESERVE GOOD HOUSING.

HEALTHY HOUSING.

JUST HEALTHY IS GOOD ENOUGH.

I DO NOT NEED LAWNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I JUST NEED HEALTHY HOUSES.

CRYSTAL: PHIL, AS WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND WORK THE ORGANIZATION IS DOING TO SECURE THAT FUNDING, WHAT ARE THE CONVERSATIONS LIKE WITH LAWMAKERS AS YOU ARE TRYING TO GET PARTS OF THE BOND BILL?

PHILIP: EXCELLENT QUESTION.

AS WE FIRST STARTED OUT, WE STARTED TO RECOGNIZE EARLY ON THIS WAS BELOW THE RADAR SCREEN.

THAT WE WERE DOING AS MUCH EDUCATION AROUND THIS ISSUE AS WE WERE GETTING THEM TO GET ON BOARD.

ONCE WE STARTED TO GET CRITICAL MASS OF PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, CAPITAL NEEDS, WE FOUND WE HAD A LOT OF PARTNERS IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT WORK WITH ICE TO HELP US ADVANCE OUR AGENDA FOR IT -- TWO WITH US TO HELP US ADVANCE OUR AGENDA FOR IT.

THE GREATER PEACE WAS NOT HAVING US ON OUR RADAR SCREEN.

THAT WAS IN THE BEGINNING DISHEARTENING BUT THEY HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF GETTING THIS UP TO THE FOREFRONT AND GETTING PEOPLE TO SEE THIS.

WE RECENTLY HAD AN EVENT WHERE WE HAD 1400 PEOPLE.

WE WERE TALKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN.

WE HAD THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WHO WAS THERE.

THE MAYOR ATTENDED.

I THINK THAT ALSO WOULD SERVE US WELL IN TERMS OF PEOPLE UNDERSTANDING WE ARE HERE FOR THE LONG RUN.

KENZIE: I THINK WHAT PHIL IS SAYING WITH VISIBILITY SO IMPORTANT.

IT IS REALLY OUR PUBLIC HOUSING TIMIDITY'’S THAT ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ANCHORING PEOPLE IN PLACE IN THE CITY.

LOW INCOME PEOPLE, YES BUT ALSO JUST SENIORS AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.

YOU ARE GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE IF YOU DON'’T HAVE 26-FIGURE EARNERS YOU CANNOT AFFORD AN APARTMENT SO WE ARE THE ONES IN PUBLIC HOUSING THAT ARE ANCHORING FOLKS AND MAKING SURE KIDS CAN STILL GROW UP IN THE CITY, FOLKS CAN STILL GROW OLD IN THE CITY.

SOMETIMES THERE HAS BEEN THIS ORIENTATION WHERE PUBLIC HOUSING IS JUST THERE AND PEOPLE -- IT IS OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND.

REALLY BRINGING OUR RESIDENTS FORWARD AND TALKING ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND ALSO TALKING ABOUT WHAT ASSETS THEY ARE TO THE COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH IT MEANS TO ANCHOR THEM IN PLACE I THINK IT IS AN IMPORTANT SHIFT.

CRYSTAL: HOW DO YOU MANAGE AND TERMS OF THE RESPONSIBILITY WHERE YOU HAVE A SITUATION LIKE THIS THAT IS HIGH VISIBILITY BUT ARE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND LAYERS TO THE PROPERTIES WHETHER IT BE FEDERAL, STATE AND JUST SPECIFICALLY DHA?

HOW DO YOU MANAGE ALL THE PLAYERS IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TO ACCESS THE MONEY?

YOU HAVE TO ACCESS SOME SORT OF WORK FLOOR TO KEEP THE MAINTENANCE UP ON THESE BUILDINGS.

KENZIE: IT HAS TO BE A BALANCE OF BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE IMMEDIATE SITUATION.

THAT IS GETTING PEOPLE TO HOTELS, COMMUNICATION.

WE CAN ALWAYS DO BETTER ON THOSE THINGS.

THERE'’S DEFINITELY A PIECE OF THE WORK SAYING WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER HERE AND HOW CAN I SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THIS ELEVATOR?

HOW CAN I ADDRESS THE ONES IN THE SAME GENERATION?

WE ALSO HAVE TO PLAY THE LONG GAME OF HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THE KIND OF MONEY WHERE WE ARE NOT ALWAYS BEHIND BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, WE COULD FOCUS ON THIS ELEVATOR TODAY AND THEN ANOTHER ONE ACROSS THE SYSTEM GOES OUT TOMORROW.

WHAT I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO DO ESPECIALLY AS I GET INTO THIS ROLE IS TRY TO SOLVE THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM BUT TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE LESSON FOR OUR OVERALL SYSTEM ABOUT BEING MORE RESPONSIVE.

FOR THE DHA, WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE CAN BUT WE NEED ADVOCATES WHO ARE PUSHING FOR US TO HAVE OR RESOURCES AND GIVE OUR PEOPLE WHAT THEY DESERVE.

CRYSTAL: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE GENERAL CONDITION OF THE HOUSING AND THE AUTHORITY?

KENZIE: I THINK FOLKS AND MY STAFF WORK INCREDIBLY HARD TO KEEP UP OUR APARTMENTS.

FRANKLY, PEOPLE WHO WORK IN PUBLIC HOUSING, THEY ARE THERE FOR THE HEART OF IT.

YOU CAN MAKE MORE MONEY DOING SOMETHING ELSE.

IF YOU'’RE WORKING IN PERSON, DOING THIS WORK IT IS BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

ARLENE: I TESTIFY TO THAT.

KENZIE: I THINK WHAT WE SEE IS IT IS ONE THING TO TAKE CARE OF THE SMALLER THINGS.

NO AMOUNT OF STAFF WORK IS GOING TO SOLVE A ROOF THAT HAS HOLES IN IT.

THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU GET WATER INSIDE THE ENVELOPE, THAT IS WHERE YOU START TO GET MOLD.

THAT IS WHERE YOU GET THESE OTHER ISSUES.

STAFF WORKED REALLY HARD BUT IT IS THE BIG PICTURE ISSUES.

WE ARE HOPING THE FOCUS ON GREEN RETROFITS CAN HELP US FINALLY TACKLE SOME OF THESE BIG SYSTEMS ISSUES IN PUBLIC HOUSING SHOULD CRYSTAL: IF YOU HAD TO GIVE A GRADE BETWEEN A BE IN GOOD AND F GANG FAILING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

-- F BEING FAILING, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

KENZIE: WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, I THINK OUR PEOPLE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN.

1.5 BILLION DOLLARS BEHIND WHERE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN TERMS OF CAPITAL RESOURCES, THAT IS OBVIOUSLY NOT AN A WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL AND STATE SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.

ARLENE: THE PEOPLE ARE AN A.

THE HISTORIC IGNORANCE OF US IS A D. WE ARE CHANGING THAT.

HAVING THAT PLACE, HAVING A DOOR I COULD LOCK WHEN I CAME FROM TRAUMA MEANT THE WORLD FOR ME AND ALLOWED ME TO GET HEALTHY AND GROW.

WE WILL ALWAYS NEED STATE HOUSING.

ALL THE IMMIGRANTS COMING IN.

THEY WILL NEED PLACES TO STAY.

WE NEED PUBLIC HOUSING.

ONLY FOUR STATES IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY HAVE PUBLIC HOUSING.

WE ARE VERY LUCKY.

I ALWAYS SAY THIS IS THE BEST STATE.

CRYSTAL: AS WE LOOK -- AS FOLKS ON THE STATEHOUSE LOOK INTO FUNDING, WILL BE YOUR MESSAGE TO THEM?

PHILIP: I THINK IT IS TIME TO GET CREATIVE.

I THINK IT IS TIME TO RECOGNIZE WE ARE IN A CRISIS MODE.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANY UNITS.

WE HAVE IMMIGRATION ISSUES WE ARE TRYING TO RESOLVE IN TERMS OF FINDING PEOPLE HOUSING.

FINALLY, WE WANT SAFE, DIGNIFIED, QUALITY HOUSING FOR EVERYONE IN THIS STATE.

ARLENE: EVERYONE DESERVES A HOME.

CRYSTAL: THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING.

THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A CONVERSATION WE COULD HAVE FOR A LONG TIME AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO SO THANK YOU.

KENZIE: THINGS FOR HAVING US.

CRYSTAL: THE STATEMENT MOM WAGE HIT $15 AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

THE LAST OF A SERIES OF GRADUAL HIKES SIGNED INTO LAW IN 2018 BUT A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN AND NOW A GROUP OF LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING TO RAISE IT AGAIN.

BILL WOULD INCREASE THEM IN A MOM WAGE TO $20 AN HOUR I 2027.

IT WOULD RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR TIPPED WORKERS TO $12 AN HOUR.

THAT IS UP FROM JUST 6.75 RIGHT NOW.

NONE OF THE BILL'’S SPONSORS JOINS ME TO DISCUSS THIS.

STATE SENATOR JASON LEWIS, VICE CHAIR ON THE COMMITTEE OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

ALSO WITH US IS ROB STEVENS, A MEMO HIM WAGE WORKER AND FAIR WAGE ORGANIZER.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME TODAY.

SEN. LEWIS: GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

ROB: THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: I WANT TO START WITH YOU, ROB.

WE ARE HEARING THESE NUMBERS FOR THE MINIMUM-WAGE AS IT SITS.

HAS THIS BEEN IN YOUR EXPERIENCE A LIVABLE WAGE?

ROB: NO.

FIRST LET'’S START OFF WITH EVEN $20 -- THAT IS A BARE MINIMUM .

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT OVER THE COURSE OF A MONTH YOU'’RE TALKING $3200.

IT IS WITHOUT TAXES.

IT WOULD BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND A PLACE WHERE THEY SAY ONE THIRD OF YOUR INCOME SHOULD BE TOWARD RENT FOR $1000 IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

WHAT I AM MAKING RIGHT NOW AT STARBUCKS IS 16.25.

THERE ARE STARBUCKS WITHIN THE COMMONWEALTH THAT UNIONIZED ONLY MAKING MINIMUM WAGE.

I CALL IT WEAPONIZED KINDNESS WHERE IF YOU DON'’T KNOW IT IS A KIND GESTURE OR -- IT IS A KIND GESTURE IF YOU DON'’T KNOW IT WAS A WEAPON TO PUNISH OTHER PEOPLE.

THE ARBORIST IS MAKING THAT MINIMUM-WAGE.

THEN WE HAVE TO TAKE OUT TAXES.

FOR THOSE LIKE MYSELF WHO HAVE TO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE FOR A FAMILY, THAT 16.25 WINDOWS DOWN TO FIVE DOLLARS AN HOUR.

-- DWINDLES DOWN TO FIVE DOLLARS AN HOUR.

40 HOURS A WEEK, WHICH THEY DO NOT SCHEDULE ANYONE FOR THAT AMOUNT, THAT IS $200 A WEEK.

IT IS NOT LIVABLE.

AT THIS POINT, THE HEALTH INSURANCE THEY TAKE OUT IS SO MUCH I CANNOT AFFORD CO-PAYS SO I JUST GO WITHOUT SEEING A DOCTOR.

THESE ARE THE SACRIFICES WE ARE MAKING WHILE I KNOW MY PRODUCTIVITY'’S WORTH.

WHEN YOU TAKE THE PROFITS OF THE DAY AND YOU DIVIDED BY THE HOURS WE ARE OPEN, WE ARE MAKING FIVE TO $700 AN HOUR AND THAT IS BEING SIPHONED OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

IT IS NOT BEING REINVESTED IN WORKERS.

IT IS DEFINITELY NOT BEING SPREAD AMONG THE COMMUNITY.

I DON'’T HAVE PURCHASING POWER.

WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS LIKE STARBUCKS PLANS TO DO $20 BILLION IN STOCK BUYBACKS OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, WONDER WHY THEY ARE NOT INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE FRONT LINES, WHO HAVE BEEN THE FRONT LINES AND OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

CRYSTAL: I'’M GOING TO ASK YOU THE QUESTION I'’M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD FROM A LOT OF FOLKS WHICH IS THE AGE-OLD ARGUMENT THAT IF WE RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE, SMALL BUSINESSES WILL SUFFER.

YOU ARE BACKING THIS BILL TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE.

TELL ME WHAT YOU SAY TO FOLKS WHO BRING THAT ARGUMENT TO YOU.

SEN. LEWIS: SURE.

THE FIRST THING I SAY IS NOBODY WHO IS WORKING A FULL-TIME JOB LIKE ROB AND SO MANY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHERS IN MASSACHUSETTS TRYING TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES SHOULD BE LIVING IN POVERTY.

THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO LEARN -- TO EARN A FAIR WAGE WITH DECENT BENEFITS AND WE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY ON THE JOB.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO.

HAVING A MEMO HIM WAGE THAT GETS AT LEAST CLOSER TO REFLECTING A LIVING WAGE.

IN TERMS OF WHAT I WOULD SAY TO FOLKS WHO MIGHT OPPOSE AN INCREASE IN MINIMUM WAGE AND HAVE CERTAINLY ALWAYS A POSTING IN THE PAST, IT IS INTERESTING FROM 2014 WHEN THE MINIMUM-WAGE WAS EIGHT DOLLARS AN HOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AS YOU SAID, WE REACHED $15 AN HOUR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR.

IN THAT SAME TIMEFRAME, THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE ECONOMY ADDED MORE THAN 250,000 JOBS AND TODAY WE HAVE THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THAT WE I THINK HAVE HAD EVER.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN OUR STATE ECONOMY.

THAT IS NOTWITHSTANDING THE YEARS OF THE PANDEMIC.

IT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE THAT WE CANNOT INCREASE THE MINIMUM-WAGE AND ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE OUR ECONOMY GROW AND THRIVE.

CRYSTAL: HERE IS THE OTHER THING.

I'’M SURE YOU HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE.

FOLKS MIGHT SAY THEN GET A BETTER JOB.

THESE JOBS ARE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS OR COLLEGE STUDENTS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO FOLKS LIKE THAT?

ROB: FIRST OF ALL BECAUSE I AM ON THE FRONT LINES LET ME TELL YOU THERE IS ONE HIGHSCHOOLER THAT WORKS WITH US.

YOU'’RE TALKING ABOUT POSTCOLLEGE, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN TRANSITIONS.

LIKE MYSELF I HAD A CAREER.

20 YEARS I WORKED IN RADIO AND FOUND MYSELF UNEMPLOYED.

THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A REBUILDING MOMENT FOR ME BUT WHAT IT BECAME WAS A TRAP.

TO THOSE WHO SAY THE FREE MARKET, GET ANOTHER JOB.

I STARTED AT STARBUCKS, I HAD MULTIPLE JOB OFFERS.

THEY WERE ALL RANGING WITHIN THE 16 TO $19 IN OUR.

WHAT I TRIED TO DO IS WHAT THE FREE MARKET SAYS.

I NEGOTIATED WITH EVERYONE TO ICE SAID CAN I GET A LITTLE MORE MONEY HERE.

WHAT IT BOILED DOWN TO FOR ME IS HEALTH INSURANCE PAIRED SOME COMPANIES WHEN YOU TO WAIT A YEAR.

SOME THREE MONTHS.

I SAID I CANNOT GO WITHOUT IT.

IT IS A LITTLE THING THAT HUMANS NEED.

WHEN I TRY TO NEGOTIATE, THEY SAID YOU DON'’T HAVE COFFEE EXPERIENCE.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

THE FUNNY THING IS WHEN WE JUST GOT A NEW CEO A FEW MONTHS AGO THEY GAVE HIM AN $8 MILLION SIGN-ON BONUS JUST FOR TAKING THE JOB.

$8 MILLION.

HAD NOT DONE A DAY OF WORK.

DID NOT HAVE COFFEE EXPERIENCE.

HE CAME FROM PEPSI.

MAYBE CAFFEINE EXPERIENCE WAS HIS SLIP IN.

THIS MONEY IS GOING AROUND.

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHEN YOU'’RE AT THIS LEVEL WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO REBUILD OR FIND YOURSELF UNEMPLOYED OR WHATEVER IT IS, IT BECOMES A TRAP FOR YOU.

THERE IS NO WAY OUT.

I CANNOT AFFORD A CAR.

I HAVE HAD TO TURN DOWN BETTER JOB OFFERS BECAUSE I DON'’T HAVE A VEHICLE.

OUR INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOT SET UP FOR PEOPLE TO NOT HAVE A CAR.

IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND I THINK THAT IS ALSO WHY WE HAVE PEOPLE FORMING UNIONS IN BIGGER NUMBERS THAN EVER BEFORE BECAUSE NOW WE ARE STARTING TO REALIZE IF IT IS JUST ME -- AND I HAVE DONE THIS MANY TIMES AND YOU'’RE JUST TRYING TO NEGOTIATE.

THE COMPANY GOES NO.

IT IS WHAT IT IS OR LEAVE IT.

AND YOU ARE TRAPPED AMONG MANY JOBS THAT ARE ALL PAYING ROUGHLY MINIMUM-WAGE.

WHEN YOU HAVE THE UNION, THAT LEVERAGE ALL OF A SUDDEN TURNS THE TIDES AND YOU CAN START TO NEGOTIATE FOR HIGHER WAGES.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS MY OTHER QUESTION, SENATOR LEWIS.

AS WE TALK ABOUT THE BILL, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE PROVISIONS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE UNION WORKERS, FOR SMALL FAMILY BUSINESSES?

I KNOW THAT ALWAYS COMES UP.

IF YOU OWN A PIZZA RESTAURANT WITH YOUR FAMILY, HOW DOES THAT WORK?

THINGS LIKE THAT.

SEN. LEWIS: WE DO HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE ABILITY OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR NONPROFITS TO ABSORB THIS WAGE INCREASE.

ROB IS TALKING ABOUT A HUGE GLOBAL CORPORATION LIKE STARBUCKS.

THOSE COMPANIES -- I HAVE NO DOUBT THEY CAN AFFORD TO PAY A HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE TO FRONT-LINE WORKERS.

THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE DOING THAT.

IN TERMS OF THINKING ABOUT SMALLER BUSINESSES, WE RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGE.

THAT IS WHY WE WOULD PROPOSE IN THIS BILL TO PHASE IN THE INCREASE TO $20 AN HOUR.

IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

WE ARE PROPOSING IT BE PHASED IN OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD SO THE MINIMUM-WAGE WOULD GO UP FROM 15 TO $16 AND $.25 AND CONTINUE UP FROM THERE UNTIL IT REACHES 20.

THE OTHER THING TO RECOGNIZE IS AS THEM AND HIM WAGE GOES UP, THERE IS VERY STRONG ECONOMIC RESEARCH THAT SHOWS ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THOSE DOLLARS WORKERS ARE RECEIVING, THEY ARE THEN TURNING AROUND AND SPENDING THAT MONEY IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR GROCERIES AND RENT, HEALTH CARE AND OTHER COSTS.

SO THAT MONEY IS HELPING TO BOOST THE LOCAL ECONOMY INCLUDING SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY LIVE IN.

CRYSTAL: ROB, WHAT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE WOULD IT MAKE IF YOU ARE MAKING $20, $25 AN HOUR?

ROB: SEE, THIS IS THE WEIRD PART.

FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE AT MY COMPANY, IT IS COUCH CHANGE.

IT IS NOTHING.

FOR ME, IT IS LIFE-CHANGING.

THIS IS WHERE WE TALK ABOUT YOU BEING ABLE TO AFFORD THE AMERICAN DREAM OR CHASE AFTER SOMETHING OR NOT BE STUCK IN THIS CASTE SYSTEM.

THIS IS HOW I COULD GET OUT.

I WANT TO POINT OUT TOO, SPEAKING TO LOCAL BUSINESSES.

SINCE 2017 I'’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR JOBS.

THE LOCAL SHOPS PAY MORE THAN THE HUGE CHANGE.

I WATCH MANY PEOPLE WE'’VE STARBUCKS BECAUSE THEY ARE MAKING IN THE 20'’S.

THESE ARE SMALL MOM-AND-POP'’S.

THEY ARE OUT COMPETING WHEN IT COMES TO WAGES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT IS FROM REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE.

I DON'’T KNOW STATISTICALLY SPEAKING BUT EVEN THE OFFERS I HAVE GOTTEN ARE FROM LOCAL COMPANIES AND THEY WERE EXTRAORDINARILY MORE.

AGAIN, IT IS A TRAP.

I DID NOT HAVE A VEHICLE SO I HAD TO TURN THESE THINGS DOWN TO WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT -- THESE THINGS DON'’T TURN FORD LIKE TO POINT OUT, WHEN FDR IMPLANTED THE MINIMUM-WAGE IN 1938 HE SAID THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A BARE SUBSISTENCE LIVING.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE WAGES OF A DECENT LIVING.

THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR, DECENCY.

RIGHT NOW IT IS A TRAVESTY MANY PEOPLE I TALK TO EVERYDAY OR EYEWITNESS WORKING GRUELING HOURS AT JOBS THAT ARE UNTHANKFUL JUST CANNOT MAKE ENDS MEET.

SINCE FDR HAD IMPLEMENTED THIS IN 1938, UP UNTIL 2014, ALMOST 85 YEARS, IT HAD ONLY GONE UP EIGHT DOLLARS.

THAT IS A DOLLAR A DECADE.

WE NEED TO KEEP THAT IN PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE FIGHTING AGAINST THIS, YOU HAVE TO QUESTION WHAT MOTIVATES THAT.

WE ARE JUST ASKING LIKE THE SENATOR SAID TO HAVE SOME KIND OF PURCHASING POWER TO BE ABLE TO PAY RENT WITHOUT GOING INTO DEBT OR HAVING EVERY END OF THE MONTH THE EXTREMELY STRESSFUL OR CHOOSING BETWEEN GAS AND GROCERIES.

CRYSTAL: WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE THIS CONVERSATION BUT I KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE ONE THAT IS GOING TO BE CONTINUING AS WE LOOK TO SEE WHERE THIS BILL GOES.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING WITH ME TODAY.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT BUT COME BACK TOMORROW.

I WILL TALK TO THE HEAD OF A LOCAL NONPROFIT WORKING TO FIND STABLE HOUSING FOR KIDS FACING HOMELESSNESS HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

PLUS, HOW THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'’S FOOTING AGAINST CENSORSHIP WITH ITS NEW BOOKS UNBANNED CARD.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

♪