CEDAR RAPIDS – State Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) issued the following statement today in response to the news that the total number of employed Iowans fell by 7,800 since June, and is now down a total of 8,200 since Governor Branstad became Governor in January: |CEDAR RAPIDS – State Senator Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids) issued the following statement today in response to the news that the total number of employed Iowans fell by 7,800 since June, and is now down a total of 8,200 since Governor Branstad became Governor in January:
“Governor Branstad ran for office promising to create 200,000 new jobs. Since becoming Governor, however, Iowa has now lost 8,200 jobs. When it comes to job creation, it is clear that Governor Branstad does not have the ‘Midas Touch.’
“Governor Branstad has taken a scorched earth policy to most of the economic development programs created by Governor Vilsack and Governor Culver, including elimination of the Iowa Power Fund, cutting the Iowa Values Fund for business development by 60%, refusing to fund rail development, vetoing the earned income tax credit for lower-income working families, vetoing restored funding for the community attraction program, and closing workforce offices across the state.”
“It is time for Governor Branstad to work with legislators of both parties on a renewed bipartisan approach for better economic development, just like Tom Vilsack did in 2005 and 2006. Vilsack’s accomplishments during that time included a ten-year, pay-as-you-go Iowa Values Fund for business investment and job creation; investment tax credits for small business; and incentives to attract renewable energy manufacturing and production. These measures helped expand Iowa’s manufacturing sector when that sector was in decline in most of the country. It is time to work together on job creation and better economic development.”
Iowa Employment Totals
January 2011: 1,576,500 (when the Governor Branstad took office)
February 2011: 1,578,900
March 2011: 1,581,200
April 2011: 1,583,400
May 2011: 1,582,500
June 2011: 1,576,100
July 2011: 1,568,300
TOTAL: -8,200
TO GO: 208,200 (lost 8,200 jobs since January)
EXPECTED FOR 6 MONTHS: +20,000
BRANSTAD SHORTFALL: -28,200
