Proposition to increase minimum wage in San Diego passes
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) — A plan to raise minimum wage and extend paid sick leave in the City of San Diego was passed by voters Tuesday.
Proposition I, with 62 percent of the votes, will increase minimum wage for the city first to $10.50 an hour and on January 1 to $11.50 an hour. It will also provide five days of yearly sick leave.
Minimum wage was raised for the state of California in March but increases would be much slower, reaching $15 an hour by 2022. It wouldn’t surpass San Diego’s rate until 2019.
Related Link: Gov. Brown signs legislation to increase minimum wage
A minimum wage increase proposal was initially passed by the City Council about two years ago, but was fought by the local business community. They conducted a signature drive which forced the issue on the ballot.
The opposition argued that a minimum wage increase would force businesses to pass on extra costs to customers.
Supporters argued that putting extra cash in the hands of tens of thousands of San Diegans will help the economy.
“Prop I will immediately improve the lives of San Diego families who work hard and are not paid enough to make ends meet,” Clare Crawford, executive director of the Center on Police Initiatives said. “One of every four people employed in San Diego will get a raise, and 95 percent of those who will benefit are 20 and older. A third are raising children. Many are veterans. Over half are woman.”
