Too many Iowans struggle to pay their bills. Low wages and rapidly rising housing costs are squeezing their household budget and forcing families to make hard choices. One unexpected expense - a sick child or flat tire - can send a family on the path to eviction or homelessness.  

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In 2019, an estimated 1 in 5 working Iowa families did not earn enough to meet their most basic needs.

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Iowa’s minimum wage has been stuck at $7.25 since 2008.  That’s not enough money to rent a studio apartment anywhere in Iowa.  And a modest two-bedroom unit – enough to hold your kids? That would require more than $12.50/hour in Jackson, Clinton or Scott Counties.  

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Rural areas might offer cheaper rent, but workers living in rural Iowa require dependable transportation to get to their jobs. How do you pay for transportation, food, health care, AND a place to live? It is past time to raise Iowa’s minimum wage.

 

I pledge to work to raise Iowa’s minimum wage to a living wage.