Treece, other mayors join initiative to raise minimum wage

After Gov. Eric Greitens failed to take action on House Bill 1194, workers in St. Louis and Kansas City will see a drop in their paychecks.

The bill that become law despite the governor’s signature nullifies the $10 minimum wage in St. Louis and the $15 minimum wage in Kansas City. Residents from both cities voted on the increase. St. Louis’ went into effect in May after a two-year court battle. Kansas City’s was voted on August 8 and would have increased from $10 to $15 by 2022.

After HB1194 took effect, the mayors of Kansas City, St. Louis and Columbia joined together for the “Raise Up Missouri” effort that requires 100,000 signatures by May to get it on the November 2018 ballot.

Raise Up Missouri wants to raise the minimum wage in Missouri to $8.60 in 2019 and then increase by 85 cents a year until it reaches $12 in 2023. According to the group, an employee who works full-time and makes minimum wage will earn $16,000 a year.

Opponents of the state law say legislators are taking away authority from local governments. Supporters say having multiple rates can be disruptive. Missouri follows Arkansas, Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Kentucky, Idaho and Alabama in passing laws in the last two years that prohibit minimum wages above the state floor.

In Missouri, minimum wage has grown 35 cents since 2013, going from $7.35, to $7.50 in 2014, $7.65 in 2015 and 2016 before coming to $7.70 in 2017.