Defiant Mayor Vetoes 'Living Wage' Ordinance; Jobs: Riordan keeps his vow and rejects proposal to boost wages of city contract workers. His action sets the stage for an override vote in the City Council.: [Home Edition]

Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan on Thursday made good on his vow to veto an embattled "living wage" ordinance, setting the stage for a near-certain override by the City Council, in all likelihood before his April 8 reelection bid.

"This ordinance is a step in the wrong direction and undermines our efforts to create quality jobs throughout the city," Riordan said in his veto message to the council, which could take up the issue as early as Tuesday.

The ordinance, one of a growing number of measures around the country that seek to boost wages and benefits of workers for municipal contract holders, calls for wages of at least $7.25 an hour with such benefits as health insurance or $8.50 an hour without specified benefits. Los Angeles' measure goes a step further by including firms that receive substantial city financial aid to bring jobs and tax revenues to town.

The council has 60 days to act on the veto, but Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, who engineered the ordinance's adoption on a solid 12-0 vote last week, said she wants an override vote as quickly as possible. It takes 10 votes...