Lincoln City Council’s public hearing for proposed minimum wage ordinance focuses on youth wages

A line of Lincolnites stretched down the aisle of the City/County chambers on Monday, all ready to speak about a proposed ordinance to maintain a $15 an hour minimum wage in the city.

“This is not just an economic argument, it’s a question of whether voter’s votes matter,” Councilman James Michael Bowers said to the 36 individuals who came to speak.

An overwhelming majority of attendees spoke in support of the proposed ordinance, which was introduced by Bowers, with one central theme focusing on preserving fair wages for youth workers – which is up in the air after legislators passed LB258 this past session.

LB258 set a ceiling for the annual minimum wage increase of 1.75% of the previous year’s minimum wage. It also set a lower minimum wage for teens 14 to 15 years old and a lower temporary training wage for teens 16 to 19. The city, however, has the authority to set a minimum wage that’s higher than the baseline of what the state sets out.

For those who spoke, the age ranges varied, from teenagers who could see lower wages due to their age, to parents speaking on behalf of their children, to nonprofits weighing in.

One attendee, Jiromi Corona, chair of the Lincoln Youth Action Board, noted how youths who are in compromised situations will have a harder time gaining independence due to lower wages.

“I am outraged. Are youth and young adults not equal to everyone else? I have fought to have a seat at the table with adults by being on the Lincoln Youth Action Board, I am helping change the homeless system for youth and young adults,” Corona said. “With my lived experience, youth and young adults who are homeless are facing abuse in their parents' homes will be there longer because they are earning less. Youth and young adults are being told they are less by lawmakers. Vote yes on the Lincoln minimum wage ordinance.”

Organizations such as the League of Women Voters of Lincoln/Lancaster County, Nebraska Appleseed, Mental Health Association of Nebraska, and Bridges to Hope all spoke in support.

Voices for Children in Nebraska, a nonprofit dedicated to issues affecting new generations, also came to speak in favor of the ordinance.

“‘Wages aren’t about convenience, they’re about survival,” said Eric Reiter, the advocacy and community collaborations coordinator for Voices for Children in Nebraska.

Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, who supported the ordinance when it was announced, attended the meeting to advocate for its approval.

“When it comes to answering the first question about whether or not you can pass the ordinance that is before you today, I contend that you can. There is no specific preemption on the books in Nebraska that would prevent a community from setting a wage standard that's right for them,” Conrad said.

Out of the 36 speakers, only two organizations also provided comments in opposition of the ordinance.

Mark L'Heureux, the executive director of schools and facilities for Christ Lincoln Schools, spoke during the public hearing, urging City Council members to oppose the ordinance due to financial pressure the increased wages cause. L’Heureux said the school has had to increase tuition an average of 10% to stay in operations.

Lincoln Independent Business Association President Lincoln Zehr also spoke in opposition, saying mandated wage hikes can lead to unintended consequences.

“Small businesses, especially those who operate on thin margins, are disproportionately affected,” Zehr said. “While this seems to be an argument of jobs and allowing jobs and teenagers having jobs the reality of it is its having an opposite effect.”

The City Council will vote on the ordinance next week, with support from Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird.

“Lincolnites spoke with a decisive voice by overwhelmingly approving Initiative 433 to raise the minimum wage in Nebraska,” Gaylor Baird said in a statement. “If passed by the Council, I intend to sign Councilman Bowers’ ordinance to reflect the will of the people of Lincoln and Nebraska.”