File photo. Supporters of a minimum wage hike camped out in front of City Hall in July, 2015.
Adding to chaos around the Kansas City minimum wage hike, proponents who wanted it raised more will get a public vote.
The city clerk submitted the finding at the city council meeting Thursday and an ordinance was introduced for a Nov. 3 vote.
In the wake of the advocates’ successful petition drive, the city council hoped to avoid a vote by approving a gradual hike to $13 an hour by 2020.
But the group of clergy, fast food workers and other advocates for the poor wanted $15 an hour by then.
So they recently filed anyway for a vote on the increase from the $7.65 state minimum wage to $15 an hour for the city.
Meanwhile, business leaders are gathering signatures to be submitted by Aug 25 for a vote on overturning the city ordinance calling for $13 an hour.
So there could well be two public votes on the minimum wage hike, which is of questionable legality anyway.
Attorneys for Kansas City, unlike those for St. Louis, had said such city increases would be illegal under existing state law but that changed when state lawmakers recently passed a law that made it absolutely clear it would be illegal. That implied the existing law does not make it illegal, city attorneys said, but Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed the new law.
State Republicans say they will override the veto in September.
Meanwhile, some prominent state Republican leaders are threatening to pass legislation outlawing the 1 percent earning tax that pays for much of Kansas City government.
They say that would be payback for daring to thwart their will by hiking the city minimum wage.
Stay tuned.
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