And she said it will only get worse.

"When it goes to $12 an hour it's going to be very difficult for us to keep all of our programs and do everything we need to do for this important population,'' Garcia said. "There are very few services available in Pima County and Cochise County for individuals, especially adults with autism.''

Flagstaff has passed its own minimum wage law that will raise the minimum to $12 on July 1, 2017, and $15 by 2021.

Mesnard, a Chandler Republican, told Capitol Media Services the legal issue arises because the Arizona Constitution specifically requires that any ballot measure that will force an increase in state funding must contain an identified revenue source, like a new tax. This initiative does not have one -- other than employers.

But attorney Jim Barton who represents the group that got voters to approve the measure, said the constitutional provision Mesnard is citing provides no basis to void the initiative. All it does, he said, is permit the state to refuse to fund anything when additional dollars are not provided.

More to the point, Barton said nothing in the initiative requires the state to boost payments to those who provide services.