Baltimore City is one step closer to raising its minimum wage to $15 an hour.  But it’s not clear if there will be enough votes next week to make it final.  City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke’s proposal squeaked by in a preliminary vote Monday.

But that vote, 7-4 with three abstentions, was one short of the number needed for final passage.

Clarke along with Council Vice President Ed Reisinger, Councilmen Brandon Scott, Bobby Curran, Bill Henry, Nick Mosby and Sharon Green Middleton voted yes.

Council President Jack Young, Councilmen Warren Branch, Eric Costello and RikkiSpector voted no.  Councilmen Carl Stokes, Pete Welch and Helen Holton abstained.  Councilman Jim Kraft was out of town.

The final vote is expected next Monday.

WYPR’s Kenneth Burns joined Morning Edition host Nathan Sterner to lay it all out.