D.C. Mayor Vetoes Living Wage Bill Under Pressure From Walmart

Mayor Backs Down To Walmart
UNITED STATES - MAY 28: D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D) attends a news conference in Rayburn Building to call on Congress to respect D.C. home rule rights in the FY 2014 D.C. appropriations bill. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)
UNITED STATES - MAY 28: D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray (D) attends a news conference in Rayburn Building to call on Congress to respect D.C. home rule rights in the FY 2014 D.C. appropriations bill. (Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

Sept 12 (Reuters) - Washington, D.C., Mayor Vincent Gray on Thursday vetoed a controversial minimum wage bill that could have discouraged Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's biggest retailer, from opening stores in the U.S. capital.

The bill, approved by the City Council two months ago, would require big retailers to pay a 50 percent premium on the local minimum wage of $8.25 per hour, with backers saying that Wal-Mart and others can easily afford it to get into the District of Columbia's fast-growing market.

Major U.S. retailers, also including Target Corp and Home Depot Inc, had opposed the bill. (Reporting By Chris Francescani; Editing by Scott Malone)

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