On January First the minimum wage in California jumps to $7.50 per hour. In Santa Cruz members of the Working Alliance for a Just Economy don’t think that is enough - they are pushing for a $9.25 per hour minimum in the city. Vinny Lombardo has more:

By Vinnie Lombardo

Gov. Schwarzenegger signed a law, mid-September, to give California's
low wage workers a raise from $6.75/hr up to $7.50, beginning January
1. That figure jumps to $8.00 one year later, and will be the highest
state minimum wage in the US. Despite the bump in pay, government
figures show wages still not keeping pace with inflation. The proposed
Santa Cruz wage hike represents a 15 percent increase over
California's new minimum wage. WAJE coordinator Nora Hochman

NH: "Its not gonna make anyone rich, and in fact, for a family of
four, working all year round, earning $19, 244 a year at $9.25 an
hour, that family of four will still qualify for federal assistance
because they'll still be under the federal poverty guidelines."

WAJE campaigners say $9.25 an hour is still not enough, but the raise
would make a huge difference to the roughly 4,000 Santa Cruz workers
who need it most.