03-06-2025
Charlotte City Council votes no to $25/hour minimum wage for city employees
CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The Charlotte City Council will use one-time funding to help various organizations in the city, but when it comes to giving city workers an additional pay bump, that vote was a no.
In November 2025, the minimum wage for city workers will increase from $23 an hour to $24 an hour. Some on the council wanted to raise the hourly wage to $25 an hour, but it was voted down 6 to 5 on Monday night.
The main reason is that raising the pay to $25 an hour would mean a structurally unbalanced budget for the city. Also, the additional funding would only be a one-time payment from the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA money, that the city of Charlotte has in reserve. So, city manager Marcus Jones would have to find a way to maintain the pay raises in the 2027 city budget.
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Other organizations did receive money for their operations from the ARPA funding. Those nonprofits provide services in the city, addressing issues like climate change and tutoring students. Some on the council worry that if they keep spending the reserve funds, there may not be money in case of an emergency.
'The very fact that we can literally keep some of this funding for future opportunities or something that we need next year, where we want something discretionary done,' said District 5 councilwoman Marjorie Molina. 'Next year, I feel like if we are empty, we are going to regret it.'
With all the changes, an additional $1.2 million will be added to the budget. Charlotte City Council will vote to approve the full budget next week.
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