Under a recent proposal by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, the city would boost its minimum wage to $13.25 by 2017, twice the federal minimum. If the proposal is adopted, Los Angeles would join several other cities nationwide to raise their minimum wage after what some call “resolute inaction” by Congress to address the issue.
Garcetti proposes that the city raise the municipalities minimum wage from $9 to $10.25 next year, and then continue to enforce $1.50 annual raises the following two years until they reach $13.25 in 2017.
Garcetti timed his Monday announcement to coincide with Labor Day, showing solidarity with workers who were dismayed that the effort to raise the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour stalled in Congress.
If approved, LA’s minimum wage would be above San Diego’s rate, where the city council overrode a controversial mayoral veto to bump up the city’s wage to $11.50 in three years.
Other cities across the country are also looking into similar minimum wage proposals, including Seattle, who will raise its rate to $15 an hour, making it the highest in the US. San Francisco also has introduced a November ballot measure where voters will consider raising the city’s minimum wage to $15 by 2018.
If the country’s largest city, Los Angeles, were to adopt Garcetti’s proposal, it would certainly be a huge determining factor for the US. It would be likely that many other cities would follow suit.
Read more about the minimum wage increase here.