Speaking of the economy…
There’s no doubt that northeast Iowa is a great place to live and work, but I believe we can make it even better. Small towns and rural areas have their own unique kind of Economy, and we’re proud of our small business owners and small farmers. It’s important that we support our local businesses and encourage new business to start, settle and stay here. As Senator Paul Wellstone said, “We all do better, when we all do better!”
It’s no secret that we’re facing some tough economic challenges today, especially in smaller communities. But job training, small business loans, professional mentoring and many other programs can be used to make sure that every one of our neighbors has the basic skills and opportunities to succeed, regardless of their background or current financial situation. That’s not just neighborly, that’s good business!
We also need to encourage our young people to stay here in Iowa after they graduate college. While it’s common for skilled labor grads to stay near home, we also need doctors, teachers, engineers, attorneys, nurses and many other professionals to help keep Iowa moving forward.
Of course, we welcome new businesses to the area, as well. There are thousands of intelligent, hard working, creative people in northeast Iowa - I’d like to see intelligent, creative businesses set up shop here so we can show them the true definition of success. That means offering fair incentives and creating a base of skilled employees who are ready to go when the doors open.
There’s simply no reason that northeast Iowa can’t be a leader in economic growth and employment. I’d love to hear your concerns on the economic issues in the area, so please feel free to contact me.
