# Lincoln Council approves ordinance to restore voter-backed wage increases  
**Published:** 2026-05-12T14:06:42.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-4-lincoln-city-council-hears-testimony-on-minimum-wage-ordinance/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/lincoln-council-approves-ordinance-to-restore-voter-backed-wage-increases

LINCOLN, Neb. — [The Lincoln City Council held a public hearing May 4](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-4-lincoln-city-council-hears-testimony-on-minimum-wage-ordinance/) on a proposed minimum wage ordinance, with more than two dozen residents, advocates, educators, business representatives, labor leaders and students offering testimony about the measure. The council voted 6-1 on May 12 to approve the ordinance, which would restore annual cost-of-living increases to the state's minimum wage that were capped by the Nebraska Legislature earlier this year.

The ordinance directly challenges [Legislative Bill 258, which was passed 33-16 in February](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/05/legislature-passes-law-capping-annual-minimum-wage-bumps-creating-youth-wage-below-15-until-2065/). That law changed how Nebraska calculates minimum wage increases going forward, replacing voter-approved cost-of-living adjustments with a fixed 1.75% annual increase. It also created a "youth minimum wage" of $13.50 for workers aged 14-15, down from the current $15.

The ordinance is tied to [Initiative 433, a 2022 voter-approved ballot measure that 67% of Lincoln voters supported](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-will-of-the-voters-matters-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/). The measure set Nebraska on a path to a $15 minimum wage by 2026 and originally tied future increases to inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.

During the May 4 hearing, supporters emphasized affordability concerns and respect for voter-approved measures. Young workers and advocates argued that inflation affects all ages equally and that teenagers often work out of necessity rather than for discretionary income. Youth action groups and social service organizations testified in support of maintaining the $15 wage floor.

Opponents raised concerns about labor costs and employment impacts. The Lincoln Chamber of Commerce opposed the ordinance, saying it supports economic growth policies rather than mandated wage increases. Childcare providers warned that rapidly rising minimum wages could strain nonprofits operating on thin margins.

[Attorney General Mike Hilgers issued an advisory opinion stating the ordinance would likely violate state law](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/nebraska-attorney-general-strikes-down-lincoln-city-councils-minimum-wage-proposal/), but council members noted the opinion was not binding. Councilman Brodey Weber said the democratic question was whether voters' will should be respected, and noted that several other municipalities nationwide have set local wages differing from state minimums.

[The ordinance will take effect July 18](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-will-of-the-voters-matters-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/), with the city's finance director calculating and publishing adjusted rates annually beginning January 1, 2027. The vote comes amid broader tension between [voter-approved legislation and legislative efforts to rework it](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-will-of-the-voters-matters-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/), including measures on medical marijuana, paid sick leave, and school vouchers.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-4-lincoln-city-council-hears-testimony-on-minimum-wage-ordinance/)
- [Nebraska Examiner reporting on Legislative Bill 258's passage and provisions](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/02/05/legislature-passes-law-capping-annual-minimum-wage-bumps-creating-youth-wage-below-15-until-2065/)
- [Nebraska Public Media coverage of the Council's final vote and legal concerns](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/the-will-of-the-voters-matters-lincoln-city-council-votes-to-maintain-15-minimum-wage/)

---

This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/may-4-lincoln-city-council-hears-testimony-on-minimum-wage-ordinance/.