Council Approves Minimum Wage Increase For City, County Workers

The City-County Council approved a proposal Monday to establish a minimum living wage of $13 per hour for all full-time city and county employees.

Councillor Vop Osili voted in support of the proposal. He says the city has the funds to enable the raise, costing about 0.05% of the city budget.

“We should not have poverty wages in our own house," Osili says. "And it is time that we make the difference, put our foot down, and do what we all know is the right thing.”

Councilor Joseph Simpson voted against the proposal, saying it is unfair to people who won’t get a raise.

It passed with a vote of 22-2. The new baseline salary will go into effect on January 1.