L.A. City Councilman Wants to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 an Hour

A Los Angeles councilman said today he believes Los Angeles should follow in the footsteps of Seattle in exploring a $15 per hour minimum wage.

"I was glad that the city of Seattle has begun to move toward a $15 an hour minimum wage," Councilman Mike Bonin told Video News West at Los Angeles City Hall. "I've always thought that's what we need to be doing here in Los Angeles."

Seattle's City Council voted Monday to implement the higher wage over three to seven years, depending on the size of the business, starting April 1, 2015.

In February, the Los Angeles City Council committee ordered a study of the economic effects of raising the minimum wage to $15.37 for hotel workers in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles City Council members Nury Martinez and Curren Price Jr. joined with Bonin in support of the wage increase for hotel workers to help lift thousands out of poverty.

Bonin, who represents Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, West Los Angeles, Venice and Playa Del Rey, said the proposal should be ready to move forward soon, and that he is mindful that any increase in the minimum wage needs to be done with care.

"You want to make sure that you put it in place at a pace and at a scope with the phasing that doesn't harm jobs and economic activity, but at the same time takes care of those who are working, but living below the poverty line," Bonin said.

Bonin said he believed it may be time for a $15 national minimum wage as well.

The California minimum wage is $8 an hour and is set to go to $9 in July and $10 by 2016.

--City News Service