The following is a legislative update from Senator Amanda Ragan of Mason City –
We must do more to help create good-paying jobs in Iowa.
Employers tell me that we don’t have enough skilled workers to fill the increasing number of available jobs. Community colleges have stepped up to help Iowa meet the need.
Many of the jobs of the future will require at least a bachelor’s degree, some college, a certificate or an associate’s degree. In Iowa, 68 percent of Iowa jobs will require education and training beyond high school by the year 2025, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education & the Workforce. That’s 3 percent above the national average.
I’m a strong supporter of Iowa’s community colleges because they are a solid investment for students and the state. A newly released study, Analysis of the Economic Impact & Return on Investment of Education, found that in 2015 alone, Iowa’s community colleges contributed $5.4 billion to the state’s economy and supported 107,170 jobs—roughly 6 percent of all jobs in Iowa.
The study also found that:
· Current and former students generated $4.6 billion in added income for the state, which is equivalent to supporting 87,905 jobs.
· For every $1 invested in Iowa’s community colleges, taxpayers gained $3.50 in added state revenue and savings.
· For every $1 students spend on their community college education, they see an average annual return on their investment of more than 25 percent.
· Those who complete an associate’s degree will see, on average, $418,000 more in earnings than someone with a high school diploma.
I’m proud of the great work our community colleges are doing, and disappointed that that Republicans recently cut $3 million from their budgets midyear. We have to make jobs and job training a priority to move our state forward.
I think Max Weaver would be better than steve. Sorry folks.
@ Anon, you’re right on Ragan. Shes fooled to many people for way to dam long. I think her time is up, she will face her tough one next year, I do not think she can make it. About her only hope, the Republican’s put’s somebody like Hovland up again. They put her up, all bets are off. But they could be just that dumb and do it?
Ragan’s day’s are numbered, heard last week Stevie Minert will run against her. She should of never got in, time to throw her butt out. I am a Democrat but I wont vote her, never again.
@ lehigh, if Stevie runs I will vote for him. My cousin use to work up to the Harley, Minert will make us a good senator.
@ Connie, the word is that Amanda will run for county recorder. Democrats have told her that against Mr. Minert her campaign is doomed. I think she knows this, and will announce this fall that she plan to run for Colleen’s position. Colleen is retiring. I certainly hope you will vote for Amanda for county recorder. But if you think Minert knows as much about public policy as Amanda, good luck with that.
@ JD, how much expert do you have to be to vote like we want. Cut the tax, stop waste of our money! So what, okay Amanda is a public policy lady, I do not like how she spends my money. Hey if she cares about workers than she will cut the tax, stop spending so damn much.
@ N. Adams, it would behoove you to take an english refresher course at NIACC prior to posting here again. We get it: you do not like Amanda. Your poor command of language and your caveman-like political philosophy shows you will vote for the Harley huckster. Amanda Ragan is a north Iowa treasure. She is a delightful person and a wonderful supporter of LGBT rights, gun control, the Human Rights commission, and public education. For this, alone, she merits election to as many terms as she wants. Senator Ragan has been in our home on many occasions, and she is always welcome.
Pebble, you just now give me some real good reasons to vote against her. I thank you. Good luck to Stevie. PS, your a snob Pebble, do you know that.
No. Adams-After those comments by the idiot Liberal Pebble you now know why they lost last time and will lose again this time. They are nothing but Liberal Snobs pretending to be for the people.
Cut out some of the B.S. subjects they claim to teach and teach people how to get real jobs and there will be plenty of money. Cut the salary of the administrators and professors and that would help too. That is what private business does.
FAKE NEWS – As Trump says – Beat the press! NOT Meet press.!
Regan -Steckman – Hillary Clinton – ALL owned by the elite corporations and unions – FORIEIGN and domestic. They care not for your private sector well being.
Try living within a budget like the private sector – Anything to do with government means a credit card with no limit – hell just raise taxes of all sorts to pay for it – we need more money – last years SS increase was about $1.00 -that’s – one dollar per month 0r a whopping $12.00 per year. Public servants fared much better at hundreds of dollars per month increase – and their ipers retirement checks were 3 times as much as SS. And the private sector paid into their IPERS retirement account along with their SS. Double standard -YOU BET !