Swisher officials vote down first reading of Johnson County minimum wage increase

SWISHER - As with Solon last month, elected officials in Swisher have voted to stick with the state minimum wage, rather than go along with the county's ordinance that will bring that up to $10.10 by 2017.

Swisher Mayor Christopher Taylor confirmed that the Swisher City Council on Monday voted 3-1, with council member Angie Hinrichs opposed, to pass the first reading of the city ordinance, which sticks with the state's $7.25 an hour wage.

Council member Sandy Fults said the vote was difficult and made after considerable debate.

'There's two sides to any situation. I think what it boils down to - being a small town - we want our businesses here and we don't want to drive them away or any prospective businesses that want to come in,” she said. 'You have to weigh which is best for the community.”

With council member Larry Svec absent and only three council members in support, the council didn't have enough votes to condense the three readings required to pass an ordinance and will have to schedule a special formal meeting to take up the subsequent readings before the county ordinance's first increase - up to $8.20 - on Nov. 1.

If the ordinance passes all readings, Swisher will join Solon in opposition to the county's minimum wage ordinance.

Councils in Iowa City and North Liberty are going with the county ordinance's first increase and officials in both communities plan to collect more data on the ordinance's impact.

Coralville's council has not formally discussed the ordinance.

Any council that does nothing by Nov. 1 will see the minimum wage increase within their boundaries.