NEWS RELEASE
BOULDER COUNTY
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The Boulder County Commissioners announced in August that they will introduce a new hourly minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County, which will see the county’s local minimum wage rise to 15% above Colorado’s 2023 minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2024.
The move, which will bring the minimum wage to $15.69/hour, is being made in response to the needs of unincorporated Boulder County’s lowest paid workers in the face of the rising cost of living.
On Thursday, Nov 2. at 12 noon, the commissioners will consider the ordinance required to create the new minimum wage, including how the local minimum wage will progress in future years. Members of the public are invited to share comments in person at 1325 Pearl Street, online via Zoom, or by phone. Visit the Advance Agenda for registration links.
During the public hearing, county staff will present on the engagement with the public, surrounding local governments, and other stakeholders, and possible amendments to the ordinance.
The commissioners received over 350 responses to an online survey, which closed on Oct. 16, but written comments may also be shared by emailing [email protected].
More information, including Powerpoint presentations and recordings of feedback sessions in English and Spanish, is available at www.boco.org/MinimumWage.
In 2019, Boulder County supported the state legislation that empowers counties and municipalities to set their own minimum wage by up to 15% per year above the state minimum wage. The City and County of Denver implemented a local minimum wage in 2020. Denver’s minimum wage is currently 27% higher than Boulder County’s current minimum wage.
Research by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment found that as the minimum wage rose, Denver's unemployment rate dropped more than any comparator jurisdiction’s (in 2021 and 2022); and as its local minimum wage increased, Denver's sales tax revenues continued growing more than Colorado’s and more than all comparator jurisdictions.
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