Answers: Minimum Wage

Should Iowa have a minimum wage? If so, what's the right amount?

FROM OUR INBOX

I believe minimum wage should be increased. I earn $9 per hour, which means if I work full-time, I make $1,440 before taxes. Expenses are:

Rent: $325

MidAmerican bill: $25

Phone bill: $55

Car Insurance: $50 (I drive a 2002 Saturn)

Food: $280 (average of $10 per day)

Gas: $60 (two tanks per month)

This leaves $645 left over before taxes, loans or other purchases. This should be Iowa's minimum wage.

If I use the same calculation with $7.25 instead of $9, there would be nothing left over after taxes. This is not the way anyone should have to live.

Natalie H.

Iowa City

According to the Iowa Policy Project, it takes, on average, $11.61 an hour to meet basic needs in Iowa.

Mark M.

Cedar Rapids

Allow the free market to determine wage increases. When the government makes the decision, everyone loses.

If workers are doing an exceptional job, employers should have the good sense to reward them accordingly without government intervention.

Lan N.

Cedar Rapids

Minimum wage should at least be $10 an hour considering a gallon of milk is pretty much $4. As prices rise for groceries, so should wages.

Lorena H.

Marengo

When did slinging burgers at Micky D's or bussing tables at Olive Garden become a person's career?

In past you worked at this level of pay until through hard work, education or ingenuity got you a better job. Now some are asking for long-term living wages for entry level work.

Michael J.

Cedar Rapids

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FROM FACEBOOK

' Dale N.: Let the market decide, not some pandering politician.

' Dan L.: The Iowa Senate should make minimum wage. Then they would have no problem deciding what a fair wage is.

' Rachel G.: $7.25. I'm a college student with two kids and work in a restaurant. I'm going to school expand my education for a good paying job.

' Randy W.: If the minimum wage is raised you have to give all other workers a raise which will raise cost of living more than the wage increase will cover.

' Jeremy P.: $7.50 for those 18 and younger, $15 for those older than 18.

' Jennifer O.: Lower it! Minimum wage is to make sure employees are not taken advantage of, not to provide a way of life.

' Kristi F.: There are a lot of people saying its only fast food at minimum wage, I work with children at a day care and make less than some fast food joints!

' Avery P.: I remember when families could make it on one income. Now it takes two incomes, and you're still poor.

' Jeff S.: We naturally have a minimum wage. It's called zero. Minimum effort results in minimum pay.

' Cassandra T.: Minimum wage can't pay for college and housing (or hardly one or the other) so where's this magic wand that gets me this better job?

' Don S.: Minimum wage should pay better than being on welfare.

' Kristen H.: Both of my high school seniors make over $9 an hour and both have joined the military to pay for college. Your future is what you make it.

' Rodney S.: We don't need to raise the pay, we need to find a way to get people educated, skilled, and most important, a way get to work that doesn't cost most of what they make.

' Sheryl B.: I went back to school to 'better myself” and I cannot get a job in my field.

' Matt T.: If businesses want to pay minimum wage, that's fine, but they should pay more in taxes in order to help pay for services such as food stamps.

' Shannon S.: Iowa's minimum wage is $7.25? I thought it was $8.50! Yes, please raise it. How embarrassing.

' Lee B.: The state shouldn't be able to tell employers how much they have to pay employees.

' John N.: $4 if I'm paying it! $50 if I'm working for it!