Hansen: $15 minimum wage will hardly make a dent in the ‘Riviera’

The movement to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour might be taking place in the halls of government, but if you want to see it up close and personal, it’s parked in the Crystal Cove Shopping Center in Newport Coast.

Owned by the Irvine Co., the coastal shopping destination is a microcosm of financial disparity. For years, the 92657 zip code was the wealthiest in Orange County by far, with an average household income of nearly $500,000. The recent addition of inland townhomes started bringing the rarefied number down to more than $200,000.

Still, there is no mistaking the super rich and those who serve them. Just pull into the parking lot.

On the fringe, trying to stay out of the prime spots, are the regular cars, the service workers, the fresh-faced kids who work at Gap or Starbucks and start out at $10 an hour.

They drive beat-up Hyundais with bondo on the side. Pickup trucks with balding tires. Ten-year-old Nissan Altimas with fading “Hope” stickers.

Under metallic dashboard sun shades are lots of Toyotas and Hondas, representing a practical value and longevity. There is no expectation of turning in a lease. These owners are in it for as long as possible out of necessity.

Contrast this scene with the valet-only drivers. Restaurants such as Mastro’s Ocean Club and Javier’s make it easy to pull in and retreat.

It’s not just Mercedes Benz. It’s AMG.

It’s no longer Prius but Tesla.

And all the gangly Range Rovers have never left the pavement.

Middle-age men in muscular convertibles like to pull into a far corner of the parking lot away from others. When they get out of their car and are halfway across the lot, they look back and double-check their alarms.

Women lately have been driving Maseratis or the Jaguar F-type. Both cars have that ubiquitous, guttural exhaust — more polite than the full-throttled Ferraris or Lamborghinis that litter the place like Hot Wheels.

These cars must come with compartments for small yipper dogs to complete the package. While the stores don’t seem to mind, one wonders how many potty accidents have ruined $1,500 Lorenzo Masiero python boots.

The clothing styles depend on the time of day. From breakfast to late lunch, it’s primarily yoga pants, Fitbits and big black purses — always leather, always supple. Later, it’s happy hour chic, as if they had just arrived from Catalina, all wispy and glowing.

In the evening, it’s heels, clutches and not-so-discreet diamonds. Overall, a good word is ample.

The six-figure cars in the valet line are always clean — eerily so. There could be a slight drizzle on the way, and the cars would still be immaculate. I described this miracle to a friend at a party recently, and he said with some conviction that there must be “rich car fairies that come down from heaven.”

Meanwhile, the workers try not to be noticed while they hike from their parking spot in the hinterlands. As they hustle to punch the clock on time, they pin up their hair, button their shirts and slip in the back way.

They are usually wearing black, which some marketing firm decided is the most elegant color for restaurants. It’s a heavy fabric, stiff and hard to clean. But they probably washed it that morning, nonetheless, hoping to start their life anew.

The people who make minimum wage at the Crystal Cove shops do not live in Newport Coast. Few probably live in Newport Beach. It’s just too expensive.

Already the Los Angeles area minimum wage is 18.2% less in real dollars because of the cost of living, according to the government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. For example, $15 an hour is equivalent to about $12. And in Newport Coast, the impact is much greater.

Furthermore, the demographics of those making minimum wage are clear. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, they are 16 to 19 years old. They are part-time workers without a high school diploma, unmarried and most likely women.

What all this means is simple: In this area of coastal Southern California, the Riviera, a minimum wage hike will do very little, except maybe give entry-level workers a little more gas money as they commute from lands far, far away.

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at [email protected].