Pinole Advances Wage Theft Ordinance on Divided Vote, Adopts Bike-Ped Plan

The Pinole City Council packed its April 21 meeting with policy action — advancing a wage theft ordinance on a contentious 3-2 vote, unanimously adopting an Active Transportation Plan to unlock federal safety grants, and creating two new subcommittees to explore commercial cannabis districts and oversee $93.7 million in capital projects. Residents, meanwhile, turned out in force to blast Measure D, the elected mayor proposal heading to the June 2 ballot.

• Wage theft ordinance advances 3-2 after debate over whether Pinole needs a local enforcement tool or is duplicating state services

• Active Transportation Plan adopted unanimously to meet federal and state grant deadlines, with a July special meeting to address stakeholder concerns

• Five residents urge "no" on Measure D, calling the elected mayor proposal a $57,000 waste that concentrates power

• Cannabis and infrastructure subcommittees created to shape potential commercial cannabis districts and prioritize 50 capital improvement projects

• Planning Commission pitches mixed-use vision for the long-vacant 13-acre Appian 80 site, floating an ethnic grocery anchor and commercial vacancy fee

The basics: City Attorney Eric Casher presented two models used by other California cities to combat wage theft: one ties labor law compliance to business license issuance, the other to building permits and certificates of occupancy. Cities including Milpitas, South San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose, Mountain View, and San Francisco have adopted variations.