The San Diego City Council agreed Tuesday to raise the minimum wage for some hospitality workers in the city to $25 an hour, phased in over several years.
What was initially intended as an immediate infusion of higher wages for all workers in San Diego's tourism industry last week reappeared Tuesday with many carve-outs and a phased-in timeline. The council passed it 8-0, with Councilman Raul Campillo absent.
Opposition to the increase came from owners of businesses of all sizes -- from multinational hotel chains to small sports rental companies. The claim again and again that the move would cause a crash in the tourism industry and automation of workers was made throughout the council meeting's public comment period.
Councilman Sean Elo-Rivera, who pushed for the minimum wage increase, said he thought those arguments fell flat, noting that prices of goods and services are already increasing.
"Opponents talked about picking winners and losers," Elo-Rivera said. "Guess what? There are already winners. They are the billionaires and millionaires. So if we're forced to choose a winner, you're damn right I'm choosing the workers."
The ordinance dictates that workers "at hospitality employers, which include hotels with at least 150 guest rooms, amusement parks, and event centers," would see a raise from the city's current minimum wage of $17.25 an hour to a higher wage on July 1, 2026, the start of the next fiscal year.