It’ll be August before Kansas Citians can vote on a minimum wage increase.
A Jackson County Circuit Court judge ruled Tuesday that the city should get more time to review a proposed ordinance that would raise the minimum wage to $15 by 2021.
Petitioners had hoped Judge Margene Burnett would force the city to place the measure on the April 4 ballot.
The city initially declined to put the question on the ballot in November 2015 because Missouri law forbids cities from enacting a minimum wage higher than the state minimum of $7.70 an hour.
But the Missouri Supreme Court in January said that wasn’t the city’s call. Instead, Kansas City needed to let voters decide, even if the ordinance might ultimately be struck down.
Elle Moxley covers Missouri schools and politics for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.
