After a lengthy public hearing, the Boulder City Council passed an ordinance Thursday that would set the city’s minimum wage at $15.57 in 2025, making Boulder’s local minimum wage the lowest in the state. A final vote is planned for November.

The proposed minimum wage would be 8% higher than Colorado’s current minimum wage of $14.42, but is not in line with other local minimum wages in the region, including those in Boulder County and Denver. The decision is a blow to local organizers and safety net service providers who showed up in large numbers to the public hearing on Thursday, October 10, to demand a larger wage increase.

Council member Lauren Folkerts, who has worked with other local governments on a regional minimum wage, had proposed an amendment to raise the city’s minimum wage to 15% above the state minimum wage ($16.58) next year, with a goal of 2027 But it was narrowly defeated 5-4, highlighting the deep divisions over the wage increase. Supporters say the increase is necessary to help workers cope with the rising cost of living in Boulder, while opponents worry it could hurt small businesses that are already struggling to stay afloat.