Bham City Council approves minimum wage increase to $10.10 in 2017

He said he feels the council did not take adequate measures when announcing and voting for the pay increase that would bump 2017 city council members salary from $15,000 to $50,000.

“I’m certainly in favor of people being paid a fair wage, but I am concerned about if anyone in the administration is considering what could happen to Birmingham businesses”, Abbott said. “They invest more into our community they want to do more and that’s what we want”.

The State of Alabama has no minimum wage.

Several councilmembers said the move is in the interest of poor Birmingham residents as commercial and residential development increases in the city.

Two city council members disagreed with the strategy saying it doesn’t make sense for the city of Greensboro to spend an estimated $267,000 on raising wages, but their “no” votes were not enough to sway a majority of the city council. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 is applied statewide.

“We’re just trying to do what we think is best for our citizens and our workers”, he said.

Councilwoman Valerie Abbott abstained from the vote, voicing concerns about passing the ordinance before hearing an opinion from the law department.

“We can’t have a progressive city and low-wage jobs”, she said.