. >> thank you debbie leman and thank you for holding this hearing today. the cost of business is the number one issue in the sector for over a decade now and increases are sporadic and less than inflation and less than comparable city employees receive although it's from the same source of funding. i want to look at the issue in the context of the income inequality in the city and the primary team of the mayor's address this year. we're in the midst of an economic boom but seeing record of san francisco poverty and 13.8% driven by rising unaffordability in the city. the cost of doing business is a key piece of this debate. it is reflected in many ways in our sector. you have heard from our workers. they can't afford to live here and the increases are less than inflation and they're falling behind. you shouldn't have to be poor to serve the poor. they deserve middle class jobs. we can't recruit or retain good employees and the wages are increasing because of increases and things done in in room and our rents are going up also and our clients need opportunit