LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County is crafting a law to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next five years, with supporters arguing it will help lift the working poor into the middle class and opponents warning businesses will have to cut back, move out or close down.

With Tuesday’s 3-2 vote by the Board of Supervisors, the nation’s most populous county joins the list of communities that believe a wage floor will reduce poverty.

It’s an argument that has gained traction amid concerns over the shrinking middle class and rising income inequality.

Democrats, including presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton, have said they support a higher federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour.

Read the article “Los Angeles County Takes Step Toward $15 Minimum Wage” on seattletimes.com.