When Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti pitched his plan to gradually boost the minimum wage across the city, critics argued that businesses might move to nearby cities to pay workers less.
Now Garcetti is trying to persuade those neighboring cities to increase their minimum wages as well — and some are showing interest.
In Santa Monica, lawmakers have decided to analyze how a possible L.A. minimum wage hike would affect their city. If L.A. presses ahead, leaders of the coastal city will discuss whether to follow suit. In West Hollywood, council members voted last week to gather information about wages in their city, the first step toward deciding whether to impose a city minimum wage.
Garcetti's proposal calls for increasing the minimum wage from the California state minimum of $9 an hour to at least $10.25 in 2015, $11.75 in 2016 and $13.25 in 2017. If neighboring cities join in, it could ease worries that L.A. may lose jobs. Garcetti promoted the plan Friday at a meeting with mayors representing cities from Lancaster to Long Beach.
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