LAS CRUCES MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS COULD BE GETTING A RAISE NEXT YEAR. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THOSE PUSHING TO RAISE THE WAGE HAVE COLLECTED ENOUGH VALID PETITION SIGNATURES TO PUT THE ISSUE ON THE BALLOT OR PUT IT INTO LAW. THAT'LL BE UP TO THE CITY COUNCIL, WHICH FIRST HAS TO DECIDE IF THEY'LL CERTIFY THE SIGNATURE VERIFICATION.
THE COUNCIL DID VOTE LAST MONTH TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE IN LAS CRUCES TO 8-DOLLARS AN HOUR IN JULY OF NEXT YEAR, THEN TO 8-50 AN HOUR IN 2016. THE PETITION DRIVE PROPOSAL WOULD HIKE THE WAGE TO 8-40 AN HOUR IN 2015 … 9-20 AN HOUR IN 2016 … AND 10-DOLLARS-10-CENTS IN 2017.
THE STATE MINIMUM WAGE IS 7-50 AN HOUR.
