TUCSON – (KVOA) Arizona is one of 21 states ringing in the new year with a minimum wage increase.

In 2016, Arizona voters passed Prop 206, lifting the then minimum wage of $8.05 to $12 an hour by 2020 and then adjusting for inflation every year afterwards.

As 2022 begins, the minimum wage is just shy of $13 at $12.80 an hour.

Last November, Tucson voters overwhelmingly voted for $15 an hour in just a few years.

C.J. Boyd led the winning ‘Tucson Fight for $15’ campaign.

Tucson will see a minimum wage hike to $15/hour on Jan. 1, 2025.

“We’re glad that in 2016, the statewide minimum wage that passed included an adjustment for cost of living, inflation but we know it’s going up that much because the inflation this year has been pretty historic,” Boyd said. “We haven’t seen this level of inflation since 1982.”

Tucson employees will see a jump to $13/hour in April.

With rising prices at the pumps and everywhere else, Boyd believes the raise will be tough for people to feel.

“That really unfortunately does cut into it,” Boyd said. “Now, instead of going from a $12.15 an hour raise to $13 and closing that gap a bit for folks who are really struggling right now, it’s only raising it 20 cents.

The Tucson Chamber of Commerce opposed last fall’s ballot measure.

“The chamber has always not been too in favor of government mandated price floors or wage floors,” Tucson Chamber of Commerce Interim President Michael Guymon said. “So, we’d prefer to see the market dictate what the wages are.”

Guymon argues the wage increase to $15 by 2025 will ultimately do more harm than good.

“All is does is it sets up a situation where businesses in the city and businesses in the county are treated differently,” he said. “We already have a statewide solution. Why do we need a localized solution?”

Boyd begs to differ.

“It passed, it passed overwhelmingly,” Boyd said. “I think we had 64 percent at the polls. That’s great but there’s still more to do.”

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