Barbs over min. wage get nasty

Even little-known ballot questions seem to be firing political types up these days. Take next Tuesday’s, in which voters will decide whether Philadelphia City Council can require contractors to “provide employees a minimum level of pay and benefits” — $10.88 an hour, or 150 percent the federal minimum wage — or risk their ability to do business with the city.

On Thursday, City Councilman Wilson Goode Jr. called Committee of Seventy Executive Director Zack Stalberg out for his watchdog organization’s recommendation that people vote against it. Stalberg — former editor of the Daily News, which twice endorsed it — was watch-dogging for “big-business board members.”

“The Committee of Seventy doesn’t care about the working poor,” Goode said. “Tell him to drive his Jaguar back to the suburbs and shut up when it comes to economic opportunity.”

“Obviously, we care about the working poor,” Stalberg said. “As for the personal comments, they’re uncalled for, but I’m a big boy. In fact, I do drive a Jaguar, a 2001 XK8. If he can fit in it, he’s welcome to take a ride anytime.”