DES MOINES, IOWA (June 14, 2019) — We recently learned that Iowa is no longer the “best state” in the nation. We dropped from No 1 last year in US News and World Report’s annual rankings to No 14 this year.
The rankings evaluate all 50 states on a variety of criteria, including economy, infrastructure, and environment. Iowa is especially struggling with slow economic growth, maintaining our roads, expanding Internet access, and poor air and water quality.
Since the Great Recession 10 years ago, many hard-working Iowans find themselves falling farther behind. Rising income-inequality, student debt, and health-care costs have been compounded over the last decade as “companies have shown a remarkably high reluctance to raise wages even when they can't find people.”
We can conquer these challenges. I support a plan to Put Iowans First, which will help address the very issues that are currently holding us back. For example, our plan calls for greater investment in infrastructure-improvements statewide — something we need more than ever after a harsh winter and record flooding.
I am pleased to see local projects on Iowa’s new five-year Transportation Improvement Program, including replacement of the I-74 Mississippi River Bridge. These are safety, maintenance and modernization initiatives that can make a real difference for Iowa, now and into the future. Infrastructure work creates good jobs, boosts local spending during the project, and brings long-term growth by ensuring efficient movement of Iowa products and people.
Let's do more. Let's put Iowans first and make our state No 1 again!
Additional information
This is a legislative update by State Senator Jim Lykam, representing Davenport and Buffalo. For bio, photos and further information, go towww.senate.iowa.gov/senator/lykam.
To contact Senator Lykam when the Legislature is in session, call the Senate Switchboard at 515-281-3371. Otherwise he can be reached at 563-391-1919. E-mail him at jim.lykam@legis.iowa.gov.
