Tucson OK’s measure to gradually raise minimum wage to $15

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TUCSON, Ariz. - Tucson voters on Nov. 2 overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure to gradually increase the minimum wage in Arizona’s second most populous city to $15 an hour by 2025.

Unofficial results had voters approving Proposition 206 by about a 2-to-1 margin.

Arizona’s current minimum wage is $12.15 per hour with annual boosts tied to inflation.

The Tucson measure put on the city’s ballot through an initiative campaign would raise the minimum wage in Tucson to $15 an hour by Jan. 1, 2025 and then tie it to the rate of inflation after that. The minimum wage would increase in several increments, starting in 2022.

Supporters of the ballot measure estimated the 85,000 city residents will get raises.

Proponents said the minimum wage raise is long overdue to keep up with the cost of living, while opponents said the measure creates an administrative burden on business owners.

Tucson’s ballot measure also included creating a new city labor standards department to investigate worker complaints and employer violations.

Flagstaff voters approved a higher city minimum wage in 2016. Wages there hit $15 an hour this year with yearly increases thereafter.