Iowa Raises Minimum Wage

Although the current federal minimum wage bill is stalled in the Senate, the newly-elected Governor of Iowa just signed a law increasing that state's minimum wage to $7.25/hour.

Here's some more details from the AFL-CIO Blog:

The bill, which was backed by unions and community and religious groups, raises the Hawkeye state’s minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 in two steps.

Some 260,000 Iowans are expected to see their pay grow because of the new wage floor, says Culver—who signed the bill on his birthday:

This is a real improvement in the quality of life for many Iowans…and this is quite a birthday present…I can’t think of a better gift.

Not only was the wage increase Culver’s first signing action, the bill was the first piece of legislation passed by the state Senate and House since voters handed control of the legislature to Democrats in November.

At least in Iowa, it sounds like Senate Republicans are fighting against an insurmountable wave of support for such legislation in this country:

According to a Des Moines Register poll, 61 percent of the state’s Republicans, 84 percent of independents and 90 percent of Democrats are behind the wage increase.

And they could not hand the Democrats a better wedge issue than this one.

PS