As prices increase across the board, theme park employees find that any salary increase will pay for basics like food and housing. Since most theme park workers live in tourism hot spots, housing costs have become unaffordable as prices continue to spike.Credit: DisneyThis impacts all hourly workers, not just theme park employees, but San Diego Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera came up with a plan to solve this issue. His plan called for a minimum wage of $25 for anyone working in the city. However, after pushback from some employers, especially those in the tourism industry, Elo-Rivera’s new plan calls for an exception for theme park, hotel, and tourism workers. The exemption allows tourism destinations like the San Diego Zoo to be exempt, whereas theme parks, like SeaWorld San Diego, would have four years to phase in the new salaries, rather than implement them all at once like other businesses. Credit: San Diego ZooSan Diego is one of the costliest areas in America. According to a Smart Asset Study, to live comfortably in the area, a family of four must earn $297,000 a year, while an individual must make $127,00 a year. The study defines “living comfortably” as being able to afford not only the basic necessities, but also have enough left over for some extras. The city’s current minimum wage is $17.25 an hour. Raising it to $25 would still only allow workers to make $52,000 a year, well below what is necessary for them to “live comfortably” within the city. Credit: SeaWorldThe tourism industry raised $1.6 million to attempt to bring this proposal to a ballot measure, which would have surely failed. Elo-Rivera said this compromise helps to increase workers’ salaries immediately rather than forcing them to wait for it to go to voters. The average one-bedroom apartment in the San Diego area costs $1,936 a month. While the increased salary will help, it will not be enough to offset those rising costs. Credit: SeaWorld San DiegoA little further north in Anaheim, Disneyland starts its workers at $21.60 an hour, but that number can quickly rise depending on the cast member’s position within the company. According to Quicken Loans, California is the second-most costly state to live in, behind Hawaii. Housing costs are part of why the state has lost over 400,000 people since 2020.Credit: Mliu92, FlickrFor now, theme park workers in San Diego will have to wait for their raises, but they will eventually get them. However, many might have to flee the state for more affordable conditions by then. What do you think is fair to pay theme park employees? Let us know in the comments. The post Theme Parks Dodge $25 Minimum Wage Rule: What This Means for Workers appeared first on Inside the Magic.