Linh Ta

lta@dmreg.com

In the 11th hour, the Ankeny City Council is moving to opt out of Polk County's minimum wage hike — if the Iowa Legislature doesn't void the move, anyway.

On Monday, the Ankeny City Council unanimously passed the first reading for an ordinance stating the city will adopt the state's minimum wage, which is currently at $7.25. It's the first larger community in the county to take such an action.

In October 2016, the Polk County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to increase the minimum wage. After several rounds of increases, it would reach $10.75 by 2019, with further increases adjusted for inflation.

However, Republican lawmakers are pushing a bill that would freeze Iowa's minimum wage at $7.25 and strip local counties and cities of the ability to set their own wage limits.

If signed into law, House File 295 would roll back minimum wage increases approved in Polk, Johnson, Wapello and Linn counties.

On Monday, dozens of Iowans attended the public hearing for the bill and railed against the pending legislation.

Since the Polk County Board of Supervisors' passage of the ordinance in the fall, the Ankeny City Council has discussed the county's authority on establishing a minimum wage. They also expressed concerns about the impact different wages across the municipalities could have on businesses.

"My concern is that having multiple patchwork minimum wages across counties would be very difficult for businesses to manage," said Councilwoman Bobbi Bentz. "I also don't see how a county wage could be enforced and have concerns (on) where the enforcement would fall."

If the legislature has not taken any action by March 20, the council will vote on the second and third readings of the bill. That move would allow the city to adopt its ordinance before Polk County's takes effect April 1.

The uncertainty of the legislature's actions, combined with the impending ordinance, prompted the council to take action now, said Mayor Gary Lorenz. Support of a statewide minimum wage was also on Ankeny's annual state legislative priorities.

"I think everybody thinks it’s a state issue, but time was starting to run out," Lorenz said. "There’s a lot of stuff going on in the legislature right now, but no one knows how quickly or slowly something will go through."

Several council members and the mayor said they don't disapprove of raising the minimum wage. However, they would prefer to see it done at the state or federal level, where it could be consistent and enforceable.

"Having a patchwork of different wage regulations in a region is problematic at best for small businesses," said Councilman Wade Steenhoek. "Most small business owners I’ve spoken to are not opposed to an increase in the minimum wage; what they are opposed to is a mishmash of wage requirements based on where they chose to operate."

If the state doesn't take action on minimum wage this session, Lorenz said he's not sure what impact Ankeny's ordinance would have on the community. But he expects it would be minimal.

"I don’t think there’s hardly any businesses in Ankeny that’s paying minimum wage," Lorenz said. "I’m sure there’s people affected by it, but I just don’t feel it’s our position to do that. We weren’t elected to raise or set minimum wages."

Grant Hobin, a 33-year-old Ankeny teacher and member of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, said he will be disappointed with the city council if the ordinance passes.

"I believe that it would be cruel to lower the wage of working families in Ankeny after they fought hard to win a minimal wage increase from the Polk County Board of Supervisors," Hobin said. "If Ankeny follows through with this plan, it will signal to the rest of the Des Moines metro area that we are not a welcoming community."