Portland business owners are mounting opposition to a proposal that could put workers in the city on track to have one of the highest minimum wages in the nation.

The Portland City Council is set to vote Monday on whether to send the proposal , which would increase the minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2029, to the November ballot for voters to decide.

If enacted, the proposal would raise the minimum hourly wage from $15.50 to $17 on Jan. 1, 2026, then by $1 each of the next three years.

Proponents say the wage increase is needed to keep up with the rising cost of living, while opponents fear they would have to lay off staff, offer fewer benefits or move their businesses out of Portland.

“This change will increase our costs between $40,000 and $50,000 per year, and that’s on top of a lo

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