L.A. moves to delay $30-an-hour minimum wage for hotel, airport workers tied to 2028 Olympics

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The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday moved to potentially delay a contentious $30 hourly minimum wage for hotel and airport workers, saying the action may be needed to stave off a business-backed ballot initiative to eliminate the city’s gross receipts tax.In a 9-6 vote, the council voted initial approval of an ordinance to postpone implementation of the $30 hourly minimum til 2030, instead of 2028.But L.A.

City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson, who introduced the motion, called it “a placeholder” that allows negotiations among city officials, hotel and airport businesses and labor unions to continue in the coming days.Another vote would be needed to formally delay implementation.

Harris-Dawson said the council would revisit the discussion on Tuesday.“I want to assure every member of this council and every member of the public that the labor movement has come to the table in good faith and has moved a lot.

The business community has been at the table form the beginning and moved some,” Harris-Dawson said.The move came after a coalition of airline and hotel businesses gathered enough signatures to qualify a measure for the Nov.3 ballot that would repeal the city’s gross receipts tax, which if approved by voters would strip about $740 million from the city’s general fund, which pays for police officers, firefighters and other services, in the first year alone.

Over five years it would cost an average of $860 million annually.The Council voted to certify the measure for the ballot, but backers of the measure — including Delta Airlines, United Airlines and hotel trade groups, have indicated they will abandon the campaign if the council halts or delays the $30 hourly minimum.Labor groups that have pushed for the $30 minimum wage said it would be unlikely voters would ever approve eliminating the business tax.

But Matthew Szabo, the city administrative...