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Podcasts Take Two
State of Affairs: Minimum wage increase for LA’s hotel workers, Neel Kashkari's gas card campaign stunt
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Sep 25, 2014
Listen • 14:51
State of Affairs: Minimum wage increase for LA’s hotel workers, Neel Kashkari's gas card campaign stunt
A tentative decision has been made to raise the minimum wage of hotel workers in Los Angeles to $15 an hour.
LA City Council members Mike Bonin, center, Nury Martinez, left, and Current Price propose a higher minimum wage for hotel workers.
LA City Council members Mike Bonin, center, Nury Martinez, left, and Current Price propose a higher minimum wage for hotel workers.
(
Frank Stoltze
)

A tentative decision has been made to raise the minimum wage of hotel workers in Los Angeles to $15 an hour.

This week on State of Affairs, KPCC's politics reporters Alice Walton and Frank Stoltze spoke about a tentative decision to raise the minimum wage for hotel workers in Los Angeles and Neel Kashkari's gas card giveaway in Burbank.

Minimum wage hike for L.A.'s hotels: What's the deal?

Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to raise the minimum wage for the non-union hotel workers. The increase would only apply to hotels that have at least 150 rooms. Both tipped and non-tipped employees would make the $15.37 an hour wage.

The new wage was strongly opposed by hotel associations. If it gets final approval next week, the wage hike would be implemented July 1, 2015 and affect about 1,300 employees. The hike would not be phased in.

Neel Kashkari's gas card giveaway in Burbank

California governor-hopeful Neel Kashkari made a campaign stop in Burbank on Wednesday, encouraging people to smash toy trains with a hammer before handing out $25 gas cards. 

Kashkari's stunt was centered on his opposition to high-speed rail, which Gov. Jerry Brown sees as part of his legacy to California.

Is it legal to give out gas cards considering he's running for office? Officials on Kashkari's campaign said attorneys signed off on the event beforehand, and that it was likened it to giving out a hot dog.