July 27, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

L.A. City Council committee to take up minimum wage proposal

A Los Angeles City Council committee today will take up a proposal to raise the minimum wage in Los Angeles to $13.25 an hour by 2017, as well as the possibility of increasing it to $15.25 an hour by 2019.

The wage hike plan was authored by council members Mike Bonin, Gil Cedillo, Nury Martinez and Curren Price Jr. and will be considered by the Economic Development Committee. It mirrors Mayor Eric Garcetti’s proposal for raising the minimum hourly wage in the city to $13.25 over the next three years, and to peg it to the consumer price index afterward.

The additional increase to $15.25 is being pushed by labor-affiliated groups like Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy and the Los Angeles Federation of Labor. Under the council’s wage hike motion, which was seconded by Councilmen Paul Koretz and Paul Krekorian, panels such as the one meeting today would be tasked with studying how the city might increase the wage to $15.25 an hour.

The authors of the motion said earlier this month they hope a proposed ordinance comes before the full council by January.

Supporters of the wage hike say it will help those living poverty, while those pushing for a further increase to $15 an hour say the 46 percent of workers in Los Angeles, or about 810,000 people, who make less than that do not earn enough to cover basic necessities.

But business groups, led by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, oppose the mayor’s minimum-wage boost and say it would result in job losses.

The council’s minimum wage hike proposal also drew skepticism from some members of the City Council, including five who introduced a motion last week calling for additional scrutiny of the economic impacts.

Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, one of the motion’s authors, said that while he supports efforts to raise the minimum wage, “the conversation about imposing an increase needs to be elevated and expanded.”

“It is critical we do everything we can to help lift people out of poverty. It is equally critical we do so in a thoughtful and balanced way,” he said.

That minimum wage hike motion relied solely on a study released in September by UC Berkeley economists, and the Economic Development Committee today will consider the motion by O’Farrell, Bob Blumenfield and three other council members calling for a study on how raising the minimum wage would affect small businesses, nonprofits and startups. Their motion asks to exempt certain industries, including nonprofits, from the wage hike.

O’Farrell said he met with people who run small businesses, and they told him increasing the minimum wage could force them out of business.

Councilwoman Nury Martinez and Councilman Paul Krekorian, both of whom signed onto the earlier minimum wage proposal, are among those now also asking for an economic analysis.

The state minimum wage of $9 an hour is set to rise to $10 in January 2016. But for thousands of workers at non-union Los Angeles hotels with 300 or more rooms, the minimum wage is scheduled to jump to $15.37 an hour on July 1 under an ordinance recently approved by the City Council. Hotels with at least 150 rooms will be required to match that raise, starting July 1, 2016.

Related Posts

LAPD to Conduct DUI Checkpoints Across City This Weekend

July 26, 2025

July 26, 2025

LAPD officials said checkpoint locations are chosen based on areas with high numbers of DUI-related crashes and arrests The Los...

Metro D Line Resumes Today After 70-Day Closure

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The shutdown, which began May 17, enabled Metro to connect the current line to newly built tunnels extending west under...

TODAY: Venice Artbeat Celebrates Community and Supports Local Causes

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The event offers live music, dance performances, live art, food, and storytelling Venice Artbeat, a community-focused festival, takes place on...

Sunset Jazz & Pizza Series Returns to The Lobster

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The series blends jazz from a three-piece house band with handcrafted pizzas and $5 Open Brewing beers  The Lobster’s popular...

Los Angeles Marks Milestone in Youth Sports Enrollment

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

A program has surpassed one million enrollments, providing low-cost and, in some cases, free access to youth and adaptive sports ...

LAHSA Appoints New Interim CEO Amid System Transitions

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The agency is navigating uncertainty following the county’s decision to create a separate homelessness department and shifting federal policy priorities...

Venice Chamber Installs New Board at Community Event

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Representatives from multiple levels of government were in attendance The Venice Chamber of Commerce welcomed its newly elected 2025–26 Board...

Measles Case Confirmed in LA, Officials Urge Vaccination

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Investigators are working to identify potential exposures and assess the risk to others Health officials have confirmed a case of...

In Your Time of Need, Woodlawn Cemetery is Available

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

By Susan Payne  For over 125 years, Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum & Mortuary, wholly owned and operated by the city of...

Going for the throat

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Coach Bill Schuman expects protégé Golda Zahra to hold back nothing  By Linda Chase World famous competitors hire special coaches...

Suspect Arrested in Fatal Brentwood Whole Foods Stabbing, Area to See Increased Police Presence

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

The suspect, initially described as a man in his early 20s wearing dark clothing, fled the scene on foot.  A...

(Video) Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

For More Information, Go To Wiseandhealthyaging.org/ Seniors Age with Dignity at Wise & Healthy Aging’s Adult Day Center. For More...

California Reports 13% Drop in Vehicle Thefts in 2024, First Decline Since 2019

July 25, 2025

July 25, 2025

Southern California accounted for 53.21% of thefts, with Los Angeles County alone representing 61.83% of the region’s total California reported...

LAPD Pacific Boosters’ West LA Summer Carnival Takes Place This Weekend

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The carnival will feature amusement rides for all ages, arcade-style games, and traditional fair food The LAPD Pacific Area Boosters...

Venice Ale House is Now the European-Inspired ‘Venice Beach Club’

July 24, 2025

July 24, 2025

The menu features items like steak frites, crudo, and house-made pizzas, under the direction of Executive Chef James Samuel A...