Montgomery County Minimum Wage hike expected to pass Tuesday

A bill that would raise Montgomery County’s minimum wage to $15.00 is expected to pass Tuesday, according to sources inside County government.

Council member Marc Elrich (D-At-Large) introduced a bill over the summer that would raise the minimum wage from $11.50 to $15.00.

County Executive Ike Leggett vetoed a previous $15.00 minimum wage bill earlier this year. Leggett disagreed with the timeline for implementation and said the hike could harm small businesses.

Under Elrich’s bill, businesses with at least 26 employees would have until 2020 to raise wages to $15 an hour.  Smaller businesses, nonprofit groups and in-home health care providers would have more time to raise wages— until 2022 — to the proposed $15 level.

Sources say that Elrich has corraled six or more votes to pass the bill.