City Council Votes 12-1 for $13/hr. Minimum Wage by 2020. Lawsuit Almost Certain

The Kansas City, Missouri City. Council approved raising the minimum wage in the city to $13 an hour despite misgivings about the law.

The council voted 12-1 to raise the wage. Several council members called it the right thing to do.

Only councilman Ed Ford voted against the measure. He said he feared it might create a false sense of hope.

Under the plan, the state minimum wage would rise to $8.50 an hour on August 24th.

A series of raises over the several years would then go into effect.

The AP reports Kansas City’s “minimum wage would rise again on Jan. 1, 2017, to $9.82 an hour, and be followed by annual increases to $10.96, $11.98 and finally $13 an hour in 2020. Cost-of-living adjustments would be made in subsequent years,”.

The council voted for the increases very aware they will probably be challenged in court with a lawsuit.

Vic Allred of the Missouri Restaurant Association called the move, “illegal”.

He and other believe only the state can set wages in Missouri.

Kansas City Manager Troy Schulte and his personnel director expressed concerns about being able to enforce the new wage law.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James, a supporter of the measure, worried during the debate about the city rushing into the new law.

One of the council members pushing for a $15 an hour minimum wage, Jermaine Reed, Called the arrangement a fair compromises.

but other supporters of the $15 an hour wage may still press for a city-wide vote on their plan.