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Senators Bill Dotzler of Waterloo
and Roger Stewart of Preston talk with
Microsoft General Manager Mike Manos at the Statehouse Aug. 21. The
software giant announced it will create a $550 million data center in West Des Moines that
will employ approximately 75 workers at an average salary of $75,000 a
year. As chair of the Economic Growth Committee, Stewart played an
integral part in bringing these high-quality,
good-paying jobs to Iowa.
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The availability of highly educated and skilled workers continues
to be the number one factor in attracting new business investment and
expansion opportunities to Iowa. Here’s an update on measures I’m supporting
to make sure more Iowans have the skills needed for good jobs at good wages.
Iowa’s
63 workforce centers help Iowans find jobs and improve their skills. They also help businesses find new employees
when they expand. Unfortunately, the
future of many of these local centers has been uncertain for almost a decade.
This year, the Legislature improved the long-term
prospects for these local centers by committing more
than 5 million additional dollars to help Iowans get the local training they
need to fill the jobs available with Iowa employers.
Iowa’s
community colleges are the pathway to a better life for thousands of Iowans. Unfortunately, beginning in the mid-1990s,
the Legislature failed to adequately support our community colleges. The
resulting tuition increases made the cost of attending Iowa’s community colleges the highest in
the nation.
Community college is now much more affordable because of
improved state support. In 2008, I
supported successful legislation that:
- Provided
$4 million for the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship, which includes a
$2,500 grant for first-year community college students;
- Increased
basic funding for Iowa’s
community colleges by $10.6 million;
- Committed
$2 million to buildings and computers;
- Invested
$5.5 million in Accelerated Career Education, which offers vocational
programs and training to employees of partner businesses; and
- Approved
$4.5 million in job-training programs at our community colleges.
Expanded All Iowa Opportunity
Scholarship
The All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship is a needs-based
program that helps Iowa
students improve their skills and pursue their dreams. During the 2007/2008 school year, 189
students received these scholarships.
This year, the Legislature approved $4 million for the
program, which will help 627 Iowa
students meet their college expenses with an average award of $5,083.
This scholarship can be used to pay for tuition, room, board and books.
The deadline for applying is October 1. For more information, go to the Iowa College
Student Aid Commission’s Web site at www.iowacollegeaid.gov
or call 1-877-272-4456.
This
summer, the Iowa Power Fund Board has awarded $1.4 million to research and
events that will move the state forward in its quest for energy independence.
Four
projects have received grants through the Power Fund, which was created in
2007 to expand Iowa’s
renewable energy, alternative fuel, and clean technology industries. They are:
I-Renew Energy & Sustainability Expo:
The Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew) in Iowa
City received $41,000 for its 2008 Expo on Sept. 13-14 at the University of Northern Iowa. The event will include workshops, green
exhibitors, and demonstrations of wind power, electric and alternative fuel
cars, solar power and solar hot water.
This is a great opportunity for Iowans to learn how to use alternative
energy in their daily lives. Get more
details or register to attend at www.irenew.org/expo/.
Growing the Bioeconomy Conference: This
event was awarded $12,500 for its 6th annual conference to be held at Iowa State
University on Sept.
8-9. The conference will feature
demonstrations, tours and workshops on how we can become more energy
independent. Learn more and register
at www.bioeconomyconference.org.
Biodiesel Alternative
Feedstock Research
Center: The Renewable Energy
Group in Ames
received $740,000 to develop a biodiesel research center that will study how
to improve biodiesel production and reduce biodiesel transportation
costs. Further information can be
found at www.regfuel.com
Tallgrass Prairie
Center: The University of Northern
Iowa was awarded $612,300 to research the use
of prairies for renewable energy production, while preserving the need for
wildlife cover and other uses. To
learn more, go to www.tallgrassprairiecenter.org.
Funding
for these awards comes from the Legislature’s investment of $25 million a
year over four years in the Iowa Power Fund.
Our
efforts are ensuring that Iowa
remains a worldwide energy leader by encouraging the production of home-grown
energy that can help our family farmers become more profitable, strengthen
our national security, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
Information
about the Iowa Power Fund and the state’s Office of Energy Independence can
be found at www.energy.iowa.gov.
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