Archives 2016-17

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Looking for more information?
Dig deeper into the documents and research conducted prior to passage of the Minimum Wage Ordinance below.

Find all of the official records and legislative file here.

Extensive study and public input informed what eventually became the Minneapolis Minimum Wage Ordinance. During 2016-17, when demanded by residents, the City conducted public listening sessions across the city, cataloged existing policy data (see comparative data tool below), commissioned an economic simulation (details and links below), and presented a city staff report, outlining recommendations.

2016 Economic Simulation Results
In 2016, a team of researchers from the University of Minnesota, Howard University, Rutgers University, and the Economic Policy Institute replicated techniques used in prevalent economic literature to simulate the relative impact of a minimum wage at $12 and $15 per hour.

The study found that of the City’s 311,000 workers, about 47,000 would be affected by an increase to $12 per hour and about 71,000 would be affected by an increase to $15 per hour. Moreover, the study concludes that workers of color—especially Latino and Black workers—would disproportionately benefit from an increased minimum wage.

According to the study projections, communities of color would disproportionally benefit:

Of Latino/a workers, 54 percent would benefit from an increase to $15/hour
Of Black workers, 41 percent would benefit from an increase to $15/hour
Of white workers, 17 percent would benefit from an increase to $15/hour

After applying the local workforce demographics to the available economic forecast models, the study did not find significant projected job growth losses, either in Minneapolis, or in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. The models either showed a slight decrease in employment, or no statistically significant change.

This report preceded passage of the Minimum Wage Ordinance and was presented to the City Council in 2016.