Grassley and Sweeney discuss economic development, school funding

State Representative Pat Grassley and State Senator Annette Sweeney hosted a listening post at the Shell Rock Library on Friday. Economic development, workforce development and school funding were among topics discussed.
     Grassley said he is co-sponsoring legislation in the House that would work toward directing economic development incentives and tax credits to rural Iowa—areas outside of Polk and Linn Counties.
     “We have communities like Iowa Falls close to Highway 20 with manufacturing, transportation and community colleges training workforces. They have the infrastructure [and] prequalify for the front of the list when we’re looking at economic development dollars here. [But] more and more small communities can’t compete because they don’t have the staff. Maybe they have one person working on economic development … and can’t compete with Des Moines…” Grassley said. “We need to create more areas that prequalify.”
     If towns prequalify for projects, they don’t have to go through the application process, which takes out many applying for economic development dollars. Grassley believes his bill will help move smaller towns into the competitive playing field, so they have access to funding.
 
Read more in the February 21 edition of the STAR.
 
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