A good way to help the residents of Ward 2 would be to raise Ralston’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. Housing costs have been steadily rising in Ward 2 without an increase in pay that reflects the higher cost of living: homes that used to be affordable for blue collar workers are now far too expensive. Ward 2 also has very little affordable housing, making it difficult for anyone working a minimum wage job to be able to pay their rent. Increasing the minimum wage would not only help people afford their rent and be able to buy homes: it would also reduce the number of people receiving government assistance and the amount that they are receiving, so that money could be redistributed. Because of the history in Ralston, the built environment in Ward 2 is not designed to accommodate people that are living on a low income, and this built environment is not changing fast enough to meet the residents’ needs. Rather than doing a total upheaval of the housing in Ward 2, an increase in the minimum wage would help to make sure that people that are working full-time will be able to pay their rent and continue to live in Ward 2.
Ralston, Vermont's "Green Island" City 