(The Center Square) – The city of Dallas raised the minimum wage it pays to its employees to $15.50 an hour in 2021 and in its August budget proposed hiking it to $18 in 2023.

Annie Spilman, Texas' state director of the National Federation of Independent Business, thinks the city will try to impose that increased minimum wage on private businesses, more than doubling the state minimum of $7.25 that hasn't changed in 14 years.

"The city is doing this as a camel’s nose under the tent," Spilman said in an email to The Center Square. "They’re planting the seed in preparation to enforce this on private employers."

She's not alone in criticizing the city, which for its part has not confirmed or denied her suspicion. Dallas has, however, unsuccessfully tried a similar tactic before.

“Instead of giving more money to a select few, the city of Dallas should help every resident by lowering taxes, cutting fees, and reducing the cost of government," said James Quintero, policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. "Everyone needs a helping hand right now."

The Center Square was unable to get a reply from the city media relations department on whether City Hall intends to extend that minimum wage beyond its workforce.

Already, Dallas has been beaten in court when it created and then tried to have private employers follow with a paid-sick leave law. That ended in a federal district courtroom in March 2021, with ESI Employee Solutions, Hagan Law Group and the state of Texas all...

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