Inflation might be Webster’s Dictionary's word of the year, and it’s certainly on the lips of many Americans. In the Bay Area, inflation has been felt across the board; with grocery prices up by more than 10 percent from this time last year.
Petaluma has taken action to help mitigate those cost increases.

Dylan Brady, a lawyer for the city, said the Living Wage ordinance applies to City employees, and those working for companies contracted with the City.

"Any contract that's above $10,000 needs to have this included to make sure that the city's public funds are being used to pay contractors and employees livable wages." Brady said.

First adopted in 2006, it's re-evaluated annually by the City Council. Last week the council raised it to more than seventeen and a half dollars an hour for employees getting health insurance from their job, and more than nineteen and a half dollars for those without.

Brady said the ordinance assures city funds are spent responsibly, and reinforce fair labor practices.

"We've had a few contractors who didn't want to comply with it, and it's pretty easy on our end." Brady said. "It's hey, this is the ordinance that council chose and it's either comply or we look elsewhere for a new contractor."

With the approved increase effective July 1st, 50 city employees and a number of contractors working for Petaluma will see a wage bump of more than 4% at a time where every cent counts.