PORTLAND, Maine — Voters in Portland will soon decide whether to raise the city's minimum wage to $19 an hour in a series of steps. It's a move that supporters say is long overdue, and critics warn could devastate local businesses.

The Portland City Council voted 5-4 Monday night to place a scaled-back minimum wage proposal on the November ballot. If approved by voters, it would increase the current hourly minimum of $15.50 to $17 on January 1, with an additional dollar every year until it reaches $19 in 2028. This version replaces an earlier plan that would have gradually lifted wages to $20 by 2029.

While the revised plan softens the rate of increase, some local business owners say even a $19 minimum could be too much, too fast.

“An increase of this magnitude could quickly make busine

See Full Page