City Council President Kevin Kelley
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland city officials have asked state lawmakers to pass legislation that could block a ballot initiative calling to phase in a $15-an-hour minimum wage only in the city.
And Ohio House leadership signaled to reporters this week that such legislation is a possibility in the lame-duck session.
City Council President Kevin Kelley said in an interview Thursday that he is one of a number of local officials who have asked the state to ban Cleveland from setting its own minimum wage - sparing the city from a proposal that, Kelley and others believe, would undermine the city's economic recovery.
"I've expressed my concerns to members of the General Assembly about the harm this would bring upon Cleveland's economy," Kelley said. "And I've told them I would welcome any help that the state could offer."
The labor-backed proposal to phase in a $15 minimum wage, beginning with $12 an hour in January 2018, is set to appear on a special election ballot May 2.
Raise Up Cleveland, the group sponsoring the proposal with the backing of the Service Employees International Union, had aimed to get it on the Nov. 8 ballot. But City Council held months of contentious hearings on the proposal, and the issue narrowly missed the deadline - buying city officials and other opponents more time to try to quash it.
House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, a Clarksville Republican, earlier had said he did not believe this General Assembly would have time to take up the issue. But he confirmed for reporters this week that discussions were ongoing with Cleveland city officials and that legislation is still a possibility for the lame-duck session.
Such language could be added into Senate Bill 331, which seeks to override local laws banning stores from using puppy mills.
But Rosenberger said no decision had been made on which piece would carry the minimum wage issue.
Senate President Keith Faber, a Celina Republican, told reporters Thursday that he didn't think legislation was necessary, and that an advisory opinion from Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine likely resolved the matter.
In June, DeWine issued an opinion stating that municipalities cannot legally set their own minimum wage because the Ohio Constitution grants that authority exclusively to the state.
Kelley said Thursday that although DeWine's opinion is persuasive, a legislative action clarifying the constitutional provision would be more powerful, because it comes with the presumption of constitutionality and could withstand a court challenge.
Cleveland.com reporter Jackie Borchardt contributed to this story.