AFL-CIO Political Portal

Things Going Round & Round: Culer & Nussle duking it out on the minimum wage
Culver’s take:

… Culver, Iowa’s secretary of state, said he would make it one of his top priorities to raise the state minimum wage to $7.25 per hour if he is elected governor. “Hard-working Iowans and their families can’t afford to wait any longer,” he said. …

…Culver spoke today at a new conference at Iowa Federation of Labor’s headquarters in Des Moines. He argued that Nussle’s salary in Congress has risen $30,000 in the past decade, while the last minimum-wage increase was in 1997. He said Iowa should join the 20 states that have raised their minimum wages above the federal minimum.

“In a Culver administration, raising the minimum wage will be one of the first bills that we propose,” Culver said. “In contrast, Congressman Nussle won’t raise the Iowa minimum wage and he’s failed to support a real minimum wage increase during his time in Washington.” (DMR)

Got it. Culver will raise the minimum wage. Period. He will not use the issue to leverage additional proactive small business policy, just the minimum wage.

Nussle’s take:

…GOP gubernatorial opponent Jim Nussle gave qualified support to a minimum wage hike if accompanied by financial help for affected small businesses.

“There is no debate on this issue — increasing the minimum wage for Iowa’s working families is overdue and will help ensure that no one falls through the cracks,'’ Nussle said. “Hard-working Iowans who have played by the rules, but struggled to get ahead, deserve a fair wage so they can provide for their families.'’ … (CR Gazette)

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