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New York City proposed new legislation this week that would nearly double the citywide minimum wage — which increased to $17 in January — to $30 an hour by 2030 for large businesses and $29 an hour by 2031 for smaller businesses. 

The “30 For Our City” bill, which was proposed by Brooklyn City Council Member Sandy Nurse and is supported by labor leaders, other progressive council members, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is currently being considered by City Council.

“The math ain’t mathing,” Nurse said at a press conference in front of City Hall on Tuesday. “The wages aren’t adding up. The wages are too low, and the cost of living is too high.”

The proposed minimum wage law would affect more than 1 million workers, according to a 2023 report from then-City Comptroller Brad Lander, 

If passed, New York City would have the highest minimum wage in the country, surpassing cities like Denver, which currently has a minimum wage of $18.81 per hour; Washington, D.C., with a minimum wage of $17.95; and Flagstaff, Arizona, where the minimum wage is $17.85. Many California hospitality workers earn $20 an hour following 2023 legislation that raised the minimum wage for fast-food workers.

New York City’s “30 For Our City” legislation is one of four local minimum wage bills that have been proposed for 2026. In February, Maryland proposed a $25 minimum wage law that would take effect by 2030 and eliminate the tip credit by 2031. In 2025, Tennessee proposed raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 an hour, but the bill failed in a House subcommittee last month. In June, Oklahoma residents will vote on whether to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour by 2029. 

In addition to these local measures, another federal minimum wage proposal was introduced by Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) last month, proposing the “Give America a Raise Act,” which would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $20 an hour. It is the third federal minimum wage legislation introduced in the past year. 

Contact Joanna at joanna.fantozzi@informa.com