Atlanta City Council Approves 2018 General Fund Budget, Raises Minimum Wage for Full-Time City Employees

On Wednesday, June 21, 2017, the Atlanta City Council approved its $648.6 million Fiscal Year 2018 General Fund Budget, raising the minimum wage for city employees to $13.00 per hour and committed to securing $15 per hour by July 1, 2019.

In 2016, Councilmembers Andre Dickens and Felicia Moore co-sponsored a resolution to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of gradually increasing the minimum wage for all full-time City employees to $15.00 per hour over a three (3) year period.

"I want to thank Finance Chairman Howard Shook, my colleagues on Council, the Human Resources Department, Finance Department, the Mayor's Office, the unions, employees, and the public for all of their input and effort to make this budget possible. Through an enormous amount of hard work, we unanimously passed a budget that is highlighted by an increase in the minimum wage, an increase in wages for firefighters to a minimum of $40,000, a military experience hiring bonus for police and firefighters, and an increase in wages for most of our clerical and professional staff," said Atlanta City Councilmember Andre Dickens.

“I am proud that the City of Atlanta is continuing its rich history of being a model employer in our state. Atlanta employees deserve to be paid a living wage and today’s budget actions and amendments prove that the City will take care of the employees that take care of the people”, said Dickens.

“I believe that the quality of services provided to its residents will be advanced because raising the wages reduces costly employee turnover, eliminates disruption in services, increases productivity and creates a more stable work environment,” said Dickens. “Statistics show that increasing the minimum wage will increase consumer purchasing power, increase workers’ standards of living, reduce poverty and stimulate the economy.”