A threat by Gov. Doug Ducey to penalize cities that enact their own living wage laws is not sitting well with the mayor of Flagstaff.
Mayor Jerry Nabours said he's personally not in favor of his community's move to establish a living wage higher than the $8.05 an hour set by state law. He thinks it would be bad for business.
But Nabours, who attended Monday's State of the State speech in Phoenix, was taken aback by comments the governor made in opposition to cities.
"I will use every constitutional power of the executive branch, and leverage every legislative relationship, to protect small businesses and the working men and women they employ, up to and including changing the distribution of state-shared revenue," Ducey said.
Nabours said that's not fair. He pointed out that Flagstaff-- along with 17 other Arizona communities-- is a charter city, with constitutional rights to establish its own local policies.
"If the law is local control, and that's the law right now on this issue, and the people of Flagstaff want to have a different minimum wage, then that is probably their right. And the state should not try to backdoor-usurp that right," Nabours said.
Flagstaff city council has so far refused to take up the issue. But supporters, citing the high cost of living in Flagstaff, are still working on a plan to take the question directly to voters in November.