Raising Iowa’s minimum wage is a moral imperative

Iowa has gone longer than any other state since raising its minimum wage. On January 1, 2008, the current rate of $7.25 per hour became effective. Eight years later, without a single increase, more Iowans have slid into poverty. We have 110,000 Iowa children living in poverty. One in eight Iowans is food insecure, meaning they have inadequate access to food due to a lack of resources. Even more disturbing, one in five Iowa children is food insecure. It is imperative that we act now to raise the minimum wage in Iowa so that families can meet basic needs. If the legislature fails again to pass a raise, it's time for Linn County to follow the lead of Johnson County and enact our own ordinance.

We're a newly-designated Blue Zones Community. Certainly that means the health and welfare of our children is a major priority. And yet, 47 percent of our children in the Cedar Rapids Community School District is/are eligible for the free and reduced-price lunch program. Studies show that poor nutrition can have lasting consequences for mental and physical health, academic achievement and overall success in life.

A person earning minimum wage makes $58 a day. That computes to $15,080 a year. The federal poverty line for a family of two is $16,020. Families need and deserve a living wage to meet basic needs without the help of social services. A longtime volunteer with the Linn Community Food Bank told me they have seen increasing numbers in the past year and that the majority of the people they serve are the working poor. They've even had to adjust their hours to accommodate their clients.

I've heard concerns that raising the minimum wage will hurt area businesses and increase unemployment. On the contrary, multiple studies show that raising the minimum wage boosts the overall economy. A 2014 study concluded that a higher minimum wage translates to fewer people dependent on taxpayer-subsidized social programs, lower worker turnover, higher worker performance and more money spent at local businesses. In addition, many small businesses are exempt from minimum wage law. Companies with annual revenue of less than $300,000 or who employ students under age 20 are examples of protections under the law.

This does not have to be a difficult or painful process. Raising the minimum wage will be better for all Iowans. A higher minimum wage, even at $8.25, would benefit 181,000 Iowans. Last year the State Senate passed an increase but it did not pass the House. We can work through the Linn County Board of Supervisors right now to raise the minimum wage here. I urge all to write to our Supervisors as well as community leaders. Simply state, 'I support raising the minimum wage in Linn County because …” Tell your personal stories as employees, business owners and concerned citizens.

The time to act is now. Every day we don't do this translates into another day the less fortunate members of our community continue to struggle.

' Karla Goettel has been appointed to the Linn County minimum wage work study group and is a member of the Public Policy Committee of the board of directors at Horizons.