Iowa Legislature’s minimum wage rollback was a cruel move – DesMoinesRegister.com

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By maintaining a minimum wage that is below the poverty level, we are literally keeping a significant segment of our population in income slavery

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James Marcovis,West Des Moines, Letter to the Editor 5:20 p.m. CT April 24, 2017

Claire Celsi attended the Polk County minimum wage increase celebration(Photo: Molly Longman/The Register)Buy Photo

The most cruelthing the 2017 Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature did was to take away the authority of cities and counties to raise the minimum wage, then do nothing to raise it at the state level.

I am a small businessman who pays my employees much more than the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour and many of them still barely get by. It is a disgrace that the state of Iowa doesn't raise its minimum wage to between $10 to $12 per hour. Why is a large number of our population forced to work two and three jobs just to get by?

Every time the minimum wage has been raised,hundreds of businesses haven't closed and hundreds to thousands of people haven't lost their jobs. Almost every penny paid out in increased wages goes right back into the economy improving business and creating jobs. By maintaining a minimum wage that is below the poverty level, we are keeping a significant segment of our population in income slavery.

Let's give the next legislature a mandate to raise the minimum wage and help the least fortunate of our workers have a chance to lead a better life.

James Marcovis,West Des Moines

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Iowa Legislature's minimum wage rollback was a cruel move - DesMoinesRegister.com