By Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporter

Officials from Santa Fe, N.M. and San Francisco told Chicago aldermen today that minimum wage-ordinances enacted in their own communities have had no negative impact and have not prevented "big-box" retailers from opening new stores.

Two years after Santa Fe's measure went into effect, the local economy "continues to grow," said David Coss, mayor of the southwestern U.S. city. "Unemployment is low…. Business growth is strong."

The message was similar from San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano. Businesses in the northern California city are required to pay from $8.85 to $10.75 an hour as well as $1.60 an hour for employee health care.

Coss and Ammiano spoke at a Chicago City Council hearing called by aldermanic supporters of the so-called Big Box Living Wage Ordinance.

The measure, approved by the council last month, requires stores with at least 90,000 square feet and whose operators have $1 billion or more a year in sales to pay a minimum wage of $9.25 an hour and $1.25 in benefits starting next July. The pay would rise to $10 an hour and $3 in benefits by 2010.

Wal-Mart, Lowe's and Target have said their development plans for Chicago are on hold pending the fate of the city's ordinance.

Mayor Richard Daley has given strong indications that he will veto the measure. He has until Sept. 13 to do so.

Today, Daley scoffed at any comparison between Chicago and the smaller western cities. He said the across-the-board wage measures in those cities are much different from Chicago's ordinance, which singles out one type of retailer.

"They should get back and help their own cities," Daley said of the out-of-town visitors. "I will compare my record to Santa Fe anytime, and San Francisco. You manage your city. We manage here."