SD VOTERS TO WEIGH MINMUM WAGE HIKE
East County News Service
February 8, 2016 (San Diego) – Voters in the city of San Diego will decide in November whether the minimum wage should be raised for all workers within the city limits.
The City Council voted to place the measure on the June primary ballot, after opponents collected enough signatures to force a public vote.
If approved by voters, the measure would raise the minimum wage to $10.50 an hour right away and $11.50 an hour on January 1st, 2017. The measure would also give workers 40 hours of sick time each year.
The measure would provide raises to an estimated 172,000 city residents and sick leave to 279,000 workers if approved.
Supporters say the measure will not only help workers, but boost the local economy by giving workers more disposable income to pump back into the economy.
Opponents contend that the initiative would hurt businesses however, particularly smaller mom and pop companies already struggling to compete.