November 22, 2011. FPI’s James A. Parrott delivered testimony detailing the following points: There is no evidence from other cities to show that living wage ordinances are harmful either for workers directly affected or for the broader local economies. The Charles River Study is seriously flawed in both its labor market and its real estate analyses, and should not be used to inform decisions on this issue. The City should return to the question of how its considerable economic development resources can be used to create better jobs – and help raise wages and living standards. The result of rent negotiation should be acceptable to tenants (often, the largest employers affected by the living wage requirement) and realize a reasonable profit for the landlord (often, the beneficiary of subsidies or land use changes).