Ankeny opts out of Polk County's minimum wage

Ankeny is the first larger suburb in the Des Moines metro to opt out of Polk County's minimum wage hike, but some are unhappy with the decision.

The Ankeny City Council voted 4-1 Monday evening to opt of the county's ordinance. The county's ordinance is taking effect April 1 and will raise the area's minimum wage to $8.75 an hour.

Anne Bacon, Ankeny resident and executive director of IMPACT Community Action Partnership spoke before the council to advocate for keeping a higher minimum wage.

She said her friends made fun of her when she first decided to move to "Swankeny," and that the suburb has a reputation of being wealthy. However, she said she sees struggling families coming through the doors of her non-profit, which provides support for those in need.

"When we don't hold business owners to pay an appropriate wage, we all pay for those families," Bacon said.

After several rounds of increases, the county's minimum wage will reach $10.75 by 2019, with further increases adjusted for inflation. However, Ankeny's ordinance will follow the state's minimum wage, which is currently at $7.25.

In an effort to pass the city’s ordinance before the county’s takes place, the council voted on both the second and third readings. It suspended its rules to allow both votes in the same evening.

Councilwoman Kerry Walter-Ashby voted in favor of the second reading, but against the third, noting the need for transparency through an additional meeting because of raised concerns.

She said she likely would have voted in favor of opting out at a third meeting.

"To me, not holding a third separate reading on a separate date works against that idea of transparency," Walter-Ashby said.

Councilman Mark Holm said he wasn't sure if anything would change his mind by a third meeting. He said there was no need to delay the vote.

"We know that there are employers in Ankeny that pay above the minimum wage," Holm said. "It has nothing to do with trying to keep people who are poor, poorer."

He said the city council is a non-partisan group and minimum wage should be handled at the state level. He said his concerns are keeping local services viable, such as the police and fire departments.

"I have no interest in being pulled into a political battle that is being waged at the statehouse and across the nation," Holm said.

In October 2016, the Polk County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to increase the minimum wage.

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 already approved in Polk, Johnson, Wapello and Linn counties.

The Bondurant City Council voted to opt out of the county's minimum wage March 6. Pleasant Hill is in the process of opting out.

John Ashton, 28, works at the Ankeny DMACC campus. He said some employees on campus have to work two to three jobs, so they can pay for classes.

He said he agreed with Walter-Ashby that another meeting was needed.

"This shouldn't be handled at the local level, but because the state has dragged its feet for 9 years, we've had to take it to the local level," Ashton said. "What the city council did is handle this at the local level. It's hypocritical for them to use it as their cop out."