NorthIowaToday.com

Founded in 2010

News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region

Differences on Economic Development Budget narrow; Democrats work to protect workers, local economic development

The Economic Development Budget and the Iowa Values Fund provide foundation funding for moving the Iowa economy forward. Today, we will hear from Iowans on what is at stake for unemployed Iowans, injured workers, and Iowa’s on-going efforts to strengthen our economy, create jobs, and help small businesses.|Opening Statement by Economic Development Budget Chair, Senator Bill Dotzler of Waterloo

The Economic Development Budget and the Iowa Values Fund provide foundation funding for moving the Iowa economy forward. Today, we will hear from Iowans on what is at stake for unemployed Iowans, injured workers, and Iowa’s on-going efforts to strengthen our economy, create jobs, and help small businesses.

I’m glad to report that we’ve made progress. House Republicans’ latest proposal for Economic Development fixes several of the shortcomings but there are still areas of concerns.

Republican cuts to Iowa’s workers’ compensation system threaten to cause problems and delays for injured workers, for businesses and insurers. Governor Branstad’s push to close local workforce offices during a time of high unemployment runs counter to common sense and increases burdens on unemployed Iowans and on Iowa businesses looking to hire them.

One of my main concerns is the Republican proposal to eliminate the successful Grow Iowa Values Fund program, a bipartisan effort approved by a Republican Legislature and signed by a Democratic governor in 2003.

I’m concerned that we could make abrupt changes without a clear strategy to move the state forward. Previous legislatures took bipartisan action to move AWAY from economic development policies that promote Iowa as a state eager to provide state tax dollars to business in exchange for low wage, chicken plucking jobs.

I do not want our great state to go back to promoting low wage jobs. We must make sure that job creation incentives include protections so state investments help increase average family income and expand our middle class, not shrink it.

Senate Democrats began this session determined to jumpstart the Iowa economy by putting small business owners, workers and communities first. Every part of our jobs package was approved by the Iowa Senate, often by large, bipartisan majorities.

These pieces of legislation included:
· Help for small business health care costs

· Small business loans so small businesses could hire workers

· Rebates to jumpstart local investment in renewable energy

· Skill training to help fill local openings

· A red tape reduction commission

· A tax cut for working families to spur local economic activity

· Help for communities looking to clean up and revitalize business districts, and

· Commercial property tax reform that focuses on helping Main Street instead of Wall Street.

It is regrettable that a session that could have focused on working together to help small businesses and Iowa workers has become one where Iowans must concentrate instead on prevent deep cuts to education at all levels.

I thank everyone in advance for their participation, and I hope the light shed today will help demonstrate what is at stake in the state budget negotiations.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Even more news:

Watercooler
Copyright 2024 – Internet Marketing Pros. of Iowa, Inc.
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x