BREAKING: Boulder County commissioners have just announced a shift in their approach to minimum wage increases. During a meeting on Tuesday, they expressed support for a new wage schedule that would set the county’s minimum wage at $16.82 per hour, aligning with the city of Boulder, starting January 1, 2026.
This new proposal, which ties future increases to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), could see the minimum wage rise to $18.93 by 2030 if CPI increases average around 3% annually. Currently, the minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County stands at $16.57 per hour.
The commissioners’ decision comes amidst significant pushback from local business owners who argue that higher labor costs will jeopardize their operations. Last week, public hearings highlighted a divide: advocates for the wage increase stressed that workers must earn enough to afford living in the communities they serve, while opponents, including small business owners and farmers, warned that the proposed hikes would be detrimental.
Commissioner Marta Loachamin emphasized the importance of ensuring a minimum standard for workers, stating, “It just does provide, in my mind, some security to workers to know if they make a commitment to be in Boulder County that they won’t be working for less than this amount.”
Conversely, Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann cast a dissenting vote, advocating for the original plan which aimed to increase the minimum wage to $25 per hour by 2030. She urged her colleagues to recognize the contributions of essential workers, stating, “During the pandemic, people lined the streets with signs calling workers who earn minimum wage heroes.”
The proposed wage increase comes after a previous schedule was established in 2023, which mandated annual increases of approximately 8.6% until reaching $25 per hour. However, the latest adjustments reflect ongoing concerns from both the business community and workers about the sustainability of these hikes.
As it stands, the minimum wage adjustments only affect unincorporated areas of Boulder County, including Gunbarrel, Hygiene, and Niwot. The commissioners have directed staff to draft an ordinance to formalize these changes, but no date has been set for the first reading of the new ordinance.
With public opinion sharply divided, the future of minimum wage in Boulder County remains uncertain. Stakeholders are urged to stay tuned as this developing story unfolds.
