Linn County group recommends $8.25 minimum wage

CEDAR RAPIDS - In an unexpected move, the Linn County working group tasked with discussing a possible increase to the county minimum wage has recommended an $8.25 minimum wage.

The recommendation to raise the countywide minimum wage $1 above the state/federal rate on Jan. 1, 2017 now heads to the Linn County Board of Supervisors. With Monday's vote, the working group officially dissolved.

Linn County Supervisor Ben Rogers, a member of the working group, said he was surprised by Monday's vote, which took place during the group's third official meeting.

'I thought the group would take a little more time to gather some data on the impact on workers who would make that (wage) and the business owners who would have to pay that,” Rogers said. 'It makes it an interesting process now for the board.”

Of the nearly 20 group members present, five members abstained from voting and Supervisors Rogers and Jim Houser voted no. Both supervisors said their votes were not against raising the wage, but rather so they were not married to a $8.25 minimum wage when the full board takes up discussion on the matter in the near future.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett spearheaded a motion for an $8 minimum wage, which was later amended to $8.25. Corbett first announced his plans to request an $8 minimum wage last week.

'I think everyone knew that the working group was eventually going to make a recommendation and I think this is a good recommendation to the county supervisors,” Corbett said.

However, Tom Mohan, member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and Cedar Rapids resident, said after the meeting he was unhappy with Corbett's tactic.

'I was highly disappointed the Task Force failed to respond to the needs of our most vulnerable citizens. Mayor Corbett successfully railroaded the rest of the study group with his high pressure tactics. They chose the most politically expedient proposal because they wanted to kick the can down the road,” Mahon said in an email. 'It was deeply disappointing and we are going to organize to put more pressure on the study group members and Linn County Supervisors to take bold and compassionate action.”

Several group members expressed interest in putting added pressure on Iowa lawmakers for a statewide increase - something Corbett has argued for in the past.

'Really I implore the legislature to address this issue so there isn't this hodgepodge of minimum wage efforts done around the state, but if they don't at least we have put in to place an increase for Linn County, or at least a recommendation for Linn County,” Corbett said Monday.

Ben Hammes, a spokesman for Gov. Terry Branstad, said last week the Republican governor is willing to work with the Legislature on a statewide minimum wage increase, but is focused on other matters.

'Gov. Branstad remains cautious about any increase in how it would affect job creation,” Hammes told The Gazette. 'His focus has and will remain on bringing more high-paying jobs to the state and focus on attracting business and industry that will pay higher wages.”

One caveat included in Monday's vote was that the working group will reconvene next year after the 2017 legislative session closes to discuss potential future increases to the minimum wage.

Meanwhile, as the county board takes up discussion on the matter, so too will the several city councils within the county. If a countywide ordinance is passed, councils have the option to pass counter ordinances to essentially opt out of the new rate.

'I'll fight to get this implemented in Cedar Rapids and work with my city council on it if the county supervisors follow through on this recommendation,” Corbett said.

Johnson County was the first in Iowa to adopt a higher minimum wage ordinance. The ordinance passed the five-member board last year and this May marked the second of three 95-cent an hour increases to the county rate. On Jan. 1, it will reach $10.10 an hour. After that, annual adjustments will be tied to the consumer price index.

A handful of small communities in Johnson County have passed counter ordinances.

Officials in Polk County also are exploring an increase to their minimum wage.

A January report by non-profit research organization Iowa Policy Project, which evaluated the case for raising the Linn County minimum wage to $10.10 over two years, states that doing so would directly benefit about 18,400 workers. Of those to benefit, 54 percent are women, 52 percent work full time and 23 percent are age 40 or older, while 20 percent are younger than 20, according to the report.