City of Santa Fe officially signs ordinance raising minimum wage in 2027

A measure raising the city of Santa Fe’s minimum wage was officially signed into law Friday in a brief ceremony at City Hall attended by many of the people who worked to make it happen.

“Because of what this group has been able to do,” about 9,000 Santa Fe workers will see their wages increase in the future, outgoing Mayor Alan Webber said before signing the ordinance.

The measure will raise the city’s minimum wage by $15 an hour to $17.50 in 2027 and tie future increases to rental costs. The increase will take effect in early 2026 for municipal employees, a small number of whom earn less than the new minimum wage.

The measure was sponsored by Webber, who has championed other economic justice policies during his eight years in office, and is one of the last pieces of significant legislation the council will consider during his term. After several months of discussion, the project was approved by 6 votes to 2 at the municipal council on November 12.

Representatives from several community organizations that have lobbied for the increase, including Somos Un Pueblo Unido, Chainbreaker Collective and The Food Depot, were present at Friday’s signing. Other attendees included former Mayor David Coss, city councilors Carol Romero-Wirth and Signe Lindell, economist and University of New Mexico professor Reilly White and city staff members.

Webber said the ordinance is part of a suite of efforts to address the city’s affordability challenges, others including updating the city’s land use code and its recent legal victory in a challenge to the so-called “real property tax” on sales of high-end homes.

“For me, the feeling of victory is making Santa Fe a diverse and welcoming place, where people who work here can afford to live here,” Webber said. “That’s the message of this bill.”