Boulder County is implementing a minimum wage increase starting Jan. 1 in unincorporated Boulder County. The Boulder County Commissioners held a town hall in Niwot Thursday and invited residents to share their thoughts on the wage increase.
“This felt particularly important … in response to the reality of the cost of living, inflation, the cost of gasoline, etc.,” said Commissioner Martha Loachamin.
Unincorporated Boulder County’s minimum wage will be $15.69 for all workers, except those who receive tips, starting next year. Employers are required to pay workers eligible for tips $3.02 less than the standard minimum, decreasing their wage to $12.67. The commissioners aim to raise the minimum wage in Boulder County to $25.00 by 2028.
The wage increase comes after HB19-1210, legislation put in place by the state of Colorado in 2020, allowing municipalities to alter their minimum wage to meet their specified needs. Local governments can set their minimum wage up to 15% higher than that of the state. Colorado’s minimum wage sits at $13.65 an hour.
Currently, Edgewater and Denver are the two cities that have increased their local minimum wage higher than the state minimum.
“Grocery store workers, baristas and restaurant workers … we are at bus stops in -17 degree weather. We’re a pretty tough breed of people but it’s really a struggle to survive in Boulder. I like Boulder, I’d really like to stay,” said Darcy Lopez, employee at the Table Mesa King Soopers and union member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.
According to Lopez, her apartment rent has doubled in cost in the seven years since she moved to Boulder and she’s struggling to make ends meet. Other town hall attendees mirrored the sentiment, including Public Policy and Community Outreach Coordinator at Emergency Family Assistance Association, Ana Fernandez Frank.
“A family of two adults, one preschooler and one school age child living in Boulder County, would need four full-time minimum wage jobs to meet their needs. That’s four full-time jobs each,” Frank said.
Some Boulder County residents worried that the goal of setting the minimum wage to $25 by 2028 was too ambitious. They argued that small businesses would be negatively impacted.
“I have always tried to pay my employees a fair salary based on the free market for the labor … and I will continue to do that, but if we raise the minimum wage, I will not be able to hire some of these employees,” said business owner Mark Milliman.
Boulder County Residents can fill out an online survey until Oct. 16 to provide the County Commissioners with input on the future of minimum wage increases.
“We know [the wage increase] doesn't do what needs to be done to address the crisis we’re facing but … we need your input on where it really needs to go. Where is that landing point?” asked Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann.
