But Tomas Robles, who chairs the Arizona Healthy Working Families initiative, expressed optimism that the voters will get the last word.

"This initiative is about giving our fellow citizens a chance to empower themselves and decide what is best for our state,'' he said in a prepared statement. "Who cannot see the positive in that?''

Voters adopted the first minimum wage law in 2006 when Arizona employers were subject only to the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. The measure, approved on a 2-1 margin, boosted it immediately to $6.75, with a requirement for annual adjustments based on inflation that has pushed the figure to $8.05.

Backers of this measure submitted more than

This measure, if approved, would hike that immediately to $10 next year, hitting $12 by 2020, with future inflation-indexed increases. It also would mandate at least three days of paid sick leave a year, with five days for employees of larger firms.

Chucri said such changes would be devastating to his industry which operates on low margins. He also said it could hurt many of the people it intends to help, with many operations deciding they can no longer afford as many employees as they now have.