Blouin: Iowa needs to take risks to get jobs - W'loo-CF Courier

[Debi]

Potential Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Blouin said Friday that Iowa needs to take some risks to attract new jobs and boost the economy.

"Iowans are the best risk takers in the world. Every spring, we put some seeds in the ground and we expect to feed the world by fall," he said, interviewed on the Iowa Public Television program "Iowa Press."

<snip>

If he runs, his plans for job growth will likely be the centerpiece of the campaign. As a state department head, he pushed for expanded use of cash incentives to assist growing or relocating companies. The largest example of this is the Iowa Values Fund, a 10-year, $700 million economic development program started this month.

<snip>

On tax issues, he wants to eliminate federal deductibility, which is the tax break that allows Iowans to deduct federal income taxes when calculating their state income taxes. He said this would simplify Iowa's system and make tax rates appear lower.

<snip>

One of the most controversial aspects of Blouin's potential candidacy is his opposition to abortion, which puts him at odds with most Democratic primary voters. He said he hopes Democratic voters will give him a fair hearing on all issues.

[haroldgiowa]

1. Governor election

I tend to agree, major investment in the state is required to attract new business. We also need to close the brain drain. We have some of the best colleges in America and are turning these people over to other states at our expense. Maybe some kind of incentive should be put out to keep our highly educated graduates.

[Debi]

2. By using tax revenues to bribe greedy corporations?

Or do you like Blouin's idea of raising our taxes?

Not very appetizing.

[haroldgiowa]

5. Iowa Policy Projects

Iowa Policy Projects as a report on eliminating the Federal Tax deduction. It is worth the read. The snip from above does not review the whole proposal. link http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/

The proposal as they describe actually shifts the tax burden from those on the bottom to those on the top income tax brackets. At the same time Iowa would be reducing their tax rates to give a true picture in just what our tax rate actually is.

[Debi]

6. Thanks for the link

:hi:

I believe we've contributed money to the IPP (requested by Mark Smith...who can say no to Mr. Smith???)

[Wapsie B]

3. If we want to create jobs here,

we need to keep the innovation here. The small-business development centers around the state are a good idea. But if all we're going to do is chase smokestacks and entice companies to move their operations here it's a losing proposition. What I'd like to see is areas modeling towns successful in growing jobs like Cedar Rapids. Also, these economic development councils around the state need to be required to show a detailed public accounting of where the $$$ are going.

[haroldgiowa]

4. Agree with Cedar Rapids growth model

Cedar Rapids is doing something right. You see tons of private investment throughout the city. If my hometown, Keokuk, had a tenth this much private investment I wouldn't need to be living in Cedar Rapids.

Tax incentives to attract Clipper Wind Power amounted to $2 million in a zero per cent loan and $1.15 million in tax incentives and $.85 million in a forgivable loans. At the same time Clipper Wind Power is making an investment of $22 million. All this results in 140 jobs paying roughly $38,000 per year. There is a pay back to the state in the form of income and sales tax.

At the same time state incentives to corporations must be monitored. IMO,I have also seen abuses to the incentive system. Not just by greedy corporations, but the local government in some of the TIFs that have been formed.

[Debi]

7. And TIFs are becoming more burdensome as our

'reinvented' government is placing a higher burden on county and local governments. Now businesses are not paying in to a municipal system that is providing them services (police, fire, etc.) and it's the home owner or renter that covers the tab. TIFs may have worked well in the past and may still work well in small doses, but giving a corporation free land and allowing nonpayment of taxes for a decade and then only 50% for an additional decade doesn't help the local economy much.

[haroldgiowa]

8. Attention Southeast Iowa

Invitation
All Lee County Democrats and other interested citizens are invited to meet and greet Democratic Gubernatorial candidate

Mike Blouin
Where: Lowell and Linda Junkins Home

2287 242nd Street*

*From Lee County Road J62 (The highway that runs by the Correctional Center), turn north at T intersection of 235th Avenue and then turn west at the intersection of 242nd Street, and continue north to #2287 242nd Street.

When: Monday August 1st

Time: 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Hosts for the evening are:

Lowell and Linda Junkins - Rep. Phil and Chris Wise - Tracy and Janet Vance

I plan on attending this funtion. Keokuk is my home town and always will be. Some of you might remember Lowell Junkins. He ran for Governor and lost a close fight to Branstad. He is now serving the public in Lee County on economic development.

[blueloo]

9. Blouin update?

I'm a young Iowan in California and love my Iowa politics. I'm psyched about Blouin and keep a close eye on the state's media (Cityview too!). Since Blouin doesn't seem to have a website yet I'm kind of in the dark as to how the campaign is going so far. I've seen the word "momentum" a few times in op-eds but I don't know the details!

[kariatari]

10. Iowa could potentially be a leader in biotech industry...

...if they'd just change the stem cell research laws. Top researchers from the U. of Iowa have left the state because of restrictions. And TransOva in NW Iowa is now expanding into South Dakota because of restrictions.

[Debi]

11. Is Blouin supportive of stem cell research

with his anti-abortion stance? I don't know, I hope someone here does.

[Broke Dad]

12. Biotech is one thing . . .

It depends on how you define biotech. TransOva is a scam and they are playing state government for all the cash they can skim. If South Dakota has extra money for scam artists, let them throw it away on TransOva. Iowa's tax money for biological research is better spent at the Oakdale research facility between Coralville and North Liberty.

Biotech in the lab is one thing, GMO in the environment is another. Vilsack has ignored and minimized the environmental risks of releasing some of the FrankenCrops into Iowa farm fields. The Starlink corn was mild compared to the dangers of some of the pharmacological crops crossing with mainline crops. Do you want antibiotics with your corn chips or soy cooking oil?

The stem cell stuff is so emotional that we need to call it something else. Genesis research? Organic covenant research? Creation extension research? You will never get the Iowa Legislature to repeal the stem cell restrictions.

Biotech is now just a hot buzzword used by politicians and con artists to sell something. If we are going to work in the biological sciences in Iowa in the future, we had better be teaching more math and science in our high schools, probably 210 -220 days out of the year.