The Baltimore City Council was expected to have the final vote Monday on a bill that would raise minimum wage to $15 by July 2022, putting the city on par with others like Seattle and San Francisco.
The Council voted 8-6-1 in favor of sending it back to Labor Committee.
"This bill has got to pass, but it doesn't have to pass in this term," said the bill's sponsor, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, immediately following the vote.
Clarke appears to have brokered successful effort at sending bill back to committee. 8-6 vote says yes #MinimumWage
— Dakarai Turner ABC2 (@Dakarai_Turner) August 15, 2016
For city workers, the bill promises what they believe would be a higher standard of living. The bill also has provisions that exempt small businesses, however, specific concern Monday came from disability groups.
Clarke said their concern was that language in the bill is not specific enough, and could allow disabled workers to earn less than those who are not disabled.
The Council previously rejected an amendment to cap the increase to $11.50.
Council President Jack Young said he would support a state law that raises the minimum wage in Maryland to $10.10 an hour by 2018. Young also said he would support a $15 wage in Baltimore only if surrounding jurisdictions passed legislation first.
He said he didn't believe Baltimore should be the "sacrificial lamb."
Along with #MinimumWage vote at city council mtg., a $26 mill. "supplementary appropriation" to @BaltimorePolice pic.twitter.com/UateJBxsyZ
— Dakarai Turner ABC2 (@Dakarai_Turner) August 15, 2016
The minimum wage in Maryland is currently $8.75, higher than the federal rate of $7.25.
More than 30 cities in 10 states have enacted local minimum wage bills.
