CORRESPONDENCE - Item #22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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February 1. 2021 The Honorable Vicente Sarmiento Mayor City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza Santa Ana, CA 92701 Dear Mayor Sarmiento: As the leading national organization representing the interests of Latino-owned grocery and food industry businesses both large and small, the Latino Food Industry Association (LFIA) is seriously concerned over the move to impose an additional $5/hour increase in grocery worker pay because it only targets one industry engaged in public retail interactions, imposes additional costs to smaller Latino owned grocery stores already spending exorbitant dollars to keep employees and customers safe and would significantly increase the cost of food and groceries for local families and communities, especially for low-income, people of color and disadvantaged communities. We also believe more time is needed to assess the consequences of extra pay-increase motions before causing unintended consequences for our member grocers, their employees, and the community that relies on them to feed their families. Most of our members impacted by the ordinance are already operating on razor thin margins and have already spent considerable resources to keep their employees and customers safe during the current pandemic. Our members recognize the sacrifice of their employees that work on the frontlines providing customers safe access to food and other products during this incredibly difficult time and gone to extraordinary steps to protect them by spending millions of dollars to purchase of personal protection equipment (PPE), plexiglass barriers, changing the store filtration systems, extensive cleaning and disinfection and other safeguards, enhanced safety protocols, extra pay and bonuses, and additional health benefits for grocery workers. Additionally, a number of our member stores created special hours of operation to allow seniors to shop safely. Our members have also complied with local safety ordinances and recommendations from the CDC which are necessary to keep employees and customers safe but have driven costs to our members including driving up grocery costs for families, putting more financial strain on struggling stores and their employees at the worst time. Higher costs could also force our members to reduce the number of workers, available hours, and store locations. Many LFIA members may find it too difficult to remain open, especially independent grocers located in disadvantaged communities because most operate on razor thin margins, even during the pandemic. If grocery stores start to shut down, it will only increase food insecurity, especially in low- income and disadvantaged neighborhoods. Latino Food Industry Association 1 MacArthur Place, Santa Ana, CA 92707