The San Diego City Council will consider overriding Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s veto of the ordinance increasing the minimum wage during a special meeting Monday.
Council President Todd Gloria called the special meeting for Monday at 11 a.m.
“The City Council should stand up for the 38 percent of San Diegans who are counting on this raise to help them better make ends meet, and I hope they will override the Mayor’s veto,” Gloria said in a statement.
The City Council will need six votes to override the veto. It originally passed the ordinance by a six to three vote, with those against being the council's three Republicans.
If the veto is overridden, minimum wage in the city will rise from $9 an hour to $9.75 an hour on Jan. 1. and require employers to provide five earned sick days a year. Wages would then increase again to $10.50 on Jan. 1, 2016 and to $11.50 on Jan. 1, 2017. In 2019, wages will be tied to inflation.
The City Council must consider overrides within 30 days of a mayoral veto. No regular council meetings were scheduled within that time period, according to Gloria's office.
If the City Council passes the override, minimum wage increase opponents would then have 30 days to gather 33,866 signatures, according to the City Clerk. That would place a referendum to stop the wage increase on a future ballot, either in the next city-wide election in June 2016 or in a separate special election called by the City Council.
If the referendum is accepted by the City Clerk, the minimum wage increase would be postponed until after a public vote.
