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Pushing Baltimore Minimum Wage to $15

Don Rush

BALTIMORE (AP) - City Council President Bernard "Jack" Young is joining a coalition of council members pushing for a $15 hourly minimum wage in Baltimore.

Media outlets report that legislation is expected to be introduced Monday evening.

Maryland's current minimum wage is $8.75 and the city would follow the state's minimum wage schedule until 2018, when it reaches $10.10.

Under the proposal, hourly pay in Baltimore would continue to increase incrementally to $15 in 2022. Businesses with fewer than 50 employees would have until 2026 to reach that level.

Young, who previously opposed raising the minimum wage beyond $11.50, says the bill is a compromise that follows Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke's efforts last year to increase wages.

Mayor Catherine Pugh has said she prefers a "consistent" minimum wage across the state.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.