Starting on July 1, the recommended minimum wage in Johnson County will be $10.27 an hour.

According to a press release from the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, the 17 cent increase was surmised from Consumer Price Index data, which is based on inflation.

“Many Johnson County businesses continue to honor our recommended minimum wage, even after the State took away local control from counties and cities to set the wage,” Board Chairperson Mike Carberry said in the press release. “We encourage local businesses to continue to support it and increase their employee wage to $10.27 on July 1.”

In 2008, Iowa’s minimum wage was increased to $7.25 an hour, which was ahead of the national increase to $7.25, which took place in 2009.

Because of inflation and increased demands from workers in Johnson County, the Board of Supervisors passed a three-pronged ordinance in 2015 – the minimum wage was increased in three steps: $8.20 an hour in 2015, $9.15 in 2016, and $10.10 in 2017.

Despite these increases, former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed legislation in March 2017 eliminating the ability of areas within Iowa to set a minimum wage above the mandated state wage.

Aside from the state level, local business leaders have echoed their support for a higher minimum wage.

“Continuing to increase the minimum wage in Johnson County has had a positive impact on more than 10,000 workers without negatively affecting businesses,” Rod Sullivan, Supervisor and liaison to the committee, said in the press release. “We believe everyone deserves to earn a living wage.”

-Charles Peckman