Las Cruces businesses surprised by minimum wage hike

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) — Business owners in Las Cruces are bracing for another possible increase in the minimum wage at the start of 2018. The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that the wage hike is taking some owners and city councilors by surprise due to a flaw in the original ordinance that was adopted in 2014. The ordinance calls for three stepped increases. Two have already been implemented and the last is scheduled for January 2019. Language in the measure also allows for a cost-of-living increase based on the Consumer Price Index starting in 2018. Business owners say the cost-of-living increase was never intended to be applied until after the final step increase in 2019. Mayor Pro-tem Greg Smith expects the cost-of-living review to be discussed by the council before being implemented. ___ Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com