Santa Monica : Minimum-Wage Hike Backed

The City Council, with two members opposed, formally voiced support of state efforts to raise the minimum wage to $5.01 and instructed the city staff to explore how such a raise would effect Santa Monica’s payrolls.

City Manager John Jalili told the council that raising the minimum wage to $5.01 would add an estimated $135,000 to the city’s annual budget.

Councilman William Jennings said he was opposed to the motion, saying that the minimum wage did little to help students or the poor.