The City awards contracts to private firms to provide services to the public and City government. The City also provides grants to not-for-profit organizations. Such public expenditures should be spent only with deliberate purpose to promote the creation of jobs that allow citizens to support themselves and their families with dignity. Jobs that pay below living wages do not serve the public purpose and place an undue burden on taxpayers and the community which must further subsidize employers who pay sub poverty wages by providing their employees health care, housing, nutrition, energy assistance, and other government provided services. The City has a responsibility when spending public money to set a community standard that promotes workers living above the poverty line. Therefore, contractors, subcontractors or other recipients of City financial assistance should pay their employees nothing less than a living wage as defined by this chapter. (Ord. 2875, added, 09/04/2001)