UPDATE, November 8, 2006. The voters said yes.

Arizona does not have a state minimum wage law, even though most employers, covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, use the the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour, and pay overtime at 1.5 times ("time and a half") the employee’s current wage for more than 40 hours worked in a work week.

In November 2006 voters in Arizona will address Proposition 202, sponsored by Arizona Minimum Wage Coalition. That measure would update Arizona's minimum wage to $6.75 per hour and mandate inflation adjustments one time each year. The Arizona Minimum Wage Coalition is comprised of various union organizations along with Arizona ACORN. ACORN is an acronym for Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, and states on its web site that it is "...the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, working together for social justice and stronger communities." Click on "Read more" to see a synopsis of the pros and cons and find more information about this ballot measure.

Poll: Will you vote in favor of Proposition 202?

1) Yes, I think Arizona should increase the minimum wage and implement an annual cost of living increase.
2) No, I don't think Arizona should increase the minimum wage and implement an annual cost of living increase.

View Poll Results

Advocates of Proposition 202 say that the Federal minimum wage has not kept up with the cost of living, and that increases will reduce worker turnover and benefit workers, families, and the local communities in which they spend their earnings.

Opponents to Proposition 202 say that businesses utilizing minimum wage workers would be too burdened, leading to increases in unemployment in that sector of workers, decreases in benefits provided by those business to offset higher wage costs, and that incorporating automatic increases is bad public policy.

The last increase in the federal minimum wage was in 1997. Five other states--Colorado, Ohio, Nevada, Missouri and Montana--will decide similar ballot measures to raise the minimum wage with automatic adjustments for inflation. Some of the states, like Arizona, would allow lower pay for small companies and for workers getting tips.

Read the exact language of Proposition 202, as well as officially posted arguments for and against.

_{Photo of $5.15 © 2006 Judy Hedding}