Mayor Carter signs ordinance after unanimous city council vote
The St. Paul City Council voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by an unanimous vote. Mayor Melvin Carter, III signed the citywide ordinance into law Nov. 14 immediately after it passed. The measure will be phased in by 2025 for all businesses.
“Today’s vote is the culmination of years of incredible leadership from council members, workers, business leaders and advocates, all working together to provide a much needed raise to over 56,000 St. Paul workers,” said Mayor Carter. “I couldn’t be more honored to sign this ordinance into law.”
“Today we are impacting people’s lives in the truest sense — we are putting into law a true living wage ordinance — ensuring all people in our community can work with dignity and make a fair and livable wage,” said Councilmember Chris Tolbert. “It’s taken a lot of work, conversations and engagement to get here, and this will have a positive outcome for the people in our community.”
The phase-in period for the ordinance will begin in 2020, depending on business size, as determined by numbers of employees. The citywide phase-in for St. Paul employees and macro businesses will start on January 1, 2020, reaching a $15 minimum wage starting July 1, 2022. The ordinance does not contain an adjustment for tipped employees. The complete ordinance language can be found at https://stpaul.legistar.com.
Throughout 2018, the Mayor’s Office, city council, and City departments engaged the hospitality sector, manufacturing industry, small business owners, full-service restaurant owners, servers, advocates, union workers, low wage workers, and others across the city about a minimum wage ordinance for St. Paul.
“Over the past year, we have worked in partnership with folks who live and work across St. Paul,” said City Council President Amy Brendmoen. “The community-driven process has resulted in a policy that is the right choice for our city. Together we move St. Paul forward by increasing the minimum wage.”
In 2019, the City of St. Paul will commence its implementation activities as it prepares to support the 2020 phase-in period. The Minneapolis City Council passed a similar $15 ordinance last year.
—Information provided by the Office of Mayor Melvin Carter
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