Bangor To Postpone Implementation Of Minimum Wage Ordinance

The City of Bangor will wait until summer 2017 to implement its Minimum Wage Ordinance, in light of the passing of Question 4.

City Councilors, on Monday, voted to postpone the effective date of the city's minimum wage ordinance, which was approved last December, because of the recent election results. In November, Mainers approved a referendum that would raise the state's minimum wage to $9 per hour, effective January 7th. But the City of Bangor's ordinance, which would raise the minimum wage to $8.25 per hour, was set to go into effect on January 1st.

Since the presence of both city and state ordinances would mean a lot of work for businesses and accountants over the first week of the year, it was decided to postpone the city's ordinance until July 1st. Councilors plan to monitor the implementation of the state law, during those six months, and how it might be amended by legislators. By keeping the ordinance in a holding pattern, the City will retain the right to raise the minimum wage locally, if it falters at the state level.