Mesnard says there may be legal grounds to overturn minimum wage hike

Regional News

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The new speaker of the Arizona House said Monday there appear to be legal grounds for someone to sue to overturn the minimum wage hike just approved by voters.

But it’s not him, at least not at this point.

J.D. Mesnard said the mandate that will require most employers to pay at least $10 an hour beginning next month will have a major impact on organizations, both public and private, that provide services to the developmentally disabled.

The reason is that those groups work under contract to the state, using tax dollars. And those contract rates are already in place.

Mesnard, a Chandler Republican, told Capitol Media Services the legal issue arises because the Arizona Constitution specifically requires that any ballot measure that will force an increase in state funding must contain an identified revenue source, like a new tax. This initiative does not have one — other than employers.

But attorney Jim Barton, who represents the group that got voters to approve the measure, said the constitutional provision Mesnard is citing provides no basis to void the initiative. All it does, he said, is permit the state to refuse to fund anything when additional dollars are not provided.