BLOOMFIELD —
Economic development in Iowa isn’t just about big business; Gov. Terry Branstad said it’s important to be supportive of those starting up their own business, too.
So it was fitting, said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, that their town hall meeting Wednesday was hosted at Courtyard Gallery and Studio, a new business on Bloomfield’s square.
There was room for the nearly 50 residents who attended to hear Iowa’s governor answer questions and tout the successes of his administration.
The pair said they promised to get Iowa’s fiscal house in order, reduce the size of government and work to bring 200,000 new jobs to Iowa.
Virtually none of that “one-time” money is in the budget, budget plans are forecast five years in advance and there are more than 700 fewer state employees, Branstad said.
“We have reduced unemployment from 6.2 percent to 5.2 percent,” he added.
But there’s more to do, Branstad said. There needs to be more business in the state. To do that, we need low utility rate and a more educated workforce.
And, he added, this country needs lower corporate taxes. Japan lowered theirs, leaving the U.S. as one of the most expensive places in the world to open a business.
“We’re out there trying to attract business to Iowa, and the federal government makes it very difficult.”
Of course, he said, Iowa has a lot to offer. At one time, the Iowa work ethic and education system were good reasons to live and work in this state.
But we have to keep up with the times, he said.
That’s why, she said, the administration is pushing STEM training: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. In a global economy, our students have to be more capable than those around the world, they said.
Young people are going to be employees of the future — but Branstad said he sees young entrepreneurs as the employers of the future, too.
“We know not every business is going to succeed,” he said. “But with the right support, many of them will.”
And they do hire when they find the right employees.
“In all 99 counties,” said Reynolds, “we find businesses that have job openings.”
But they can’t find employees who have the skill set needed to work there. It’s how education and economic development coincide.
“We owe it to our kids to [educate them] in the fields that are going to lead to good jobs,” Reynolds said.
Local News
August 2, 2012
Governor: Education and economic development two sides of one coin
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