PHOENIX — Some city leaders are asking whether the city's workers are earning enough to keep up with the Valley's rising cost of living.
Mayor Kate Gallego, Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington and Councilwoman Betty Guardado have signed on to a proposal directing city staff to study whether Phoenix should increase the minimum wage for city employees and certain contractors who do business with the city.
The proposal does not recommend a specific wage increase. Instead, it asks staff to examine potential options, cost, and impacts before bringing recommendations back to City Council.
"People shouldn't be one paycheck away from being homeless," Guardado said.
Arizona's minimum wage is currently $15.15 per hour, which works out to a little more than $30,000 a year before taxes for a full-time worker.
Guardado argued that wage may no longer reflect the realities of living in Phoenix.
"I think maybe 20, 15 years ago it may have been enough," she said.
In addition to city employees, the proposal asks staff to study whether higher wage requirements should apply to contractors doing business with the city.
Valley attorney Jim Barton said the proposal would effectively require companies that contract with Phoenix to pay workers more.
"They're telling the people they contract with, as a condition of this contract, you need to pay your employees more," Barton said.
Many of those contracted workers are employed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
"For example, the airport, we have a lot of different companies that take contracts at the airport with the City of Phoenix," Guardado said. "And we need to make sure those workers are making a living wage."
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Airport workers were among those who spoke in support of the proposal during the City Council meeting.
"I'm a wheelchair assistant at Sky Harbor Airport," said Nicole Ray. "I love my job but I make the minimum wage of $15.15 an hour and rely on tips from passengers to get by."
Supporters of higher wages point out that other Arizona cities have already adopted local minimum wages above the statewide requirement.
Both Flagstaff and Tucson have citywide minimum wages that exceed Arizona's minimum wage.
Some advocates would like Phoenix to eventually consider a similar approach beyond city employees and contractors.
"You cannot eat and rent an apartment at $32,000 a year in Phoenix, and I don't think that's fair," Barton said. "You should be able to eat and live if you work full time."
For now, City Council is only asking staff to study the issue. Any potential wage increase would need to return to council for consideration and approval at a future meeting, potentially this fall.
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