Release: GOP Chairman Matt Strawn Promotes Job Security in Quad Cities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 9, 2009

Republican Party of Iowa
Contact: Sara Craig
515.669.7019

GOP CHAIRMAN MATT STRAWN PROMOTES
JOB SECURITY FOR IOWANS IN QUAD CITIES

Warns pending doctor-shopping bill will devastate area’s small businesses

Davenport, IA – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman, Matt Strawn, joined Quad City homeowners and small business owners to speak out against the job killing measures currently being considered by the Iowa Legislature. The Democrat-controlled Legislature has begun work on a series of bills that not only raise property taxes on all Iowans, but could force many Iowa businesses to shut their doors.

Despite over 80,000 Iowans being out of work, including an additional 105 workers at John Deere in Davenport, legislative Democrats have indicated plans to debate and vote on legislation this week that would gut over 90 years of common-sense workers’ compensation policy in Iowa. The legislation, House File 530, is slated for committee and floor consideration this week and would effectively remove any Iowa employers’ right to choose care for injured employees, paving the way for sky-rocketing insurance costs without any guarantees of quality care and treatment.

“Iowa currently boasts a worker-friendly workers’ comp program that has served our state well for over ninety years. It is inexcusable for legislative Democrats and Governor Culver, in this period of economic crisis, to pile additional costs onto the backs of Iowa’s small businesses,” said Strawn, noting that Iowa already boasts one of the nation’s most worker-friendly programs and pays the highest maximum benefits of any state in the Midwest.

Owner of Davenport based business, Twin State Inc., Hovey Tinsman, joins many other local business owners in opposition to this bill.

“Iowa once had a very business friendly environment,” said Tinsman. “But, if the legislature keeps considering bills that attack Iowa’s businesses, the economic impact on our state will be huge and could drive many small businesses, like my family’s, out of business.”

“Republican leaders understand that Hovey Tinsman, and thousands just like him all across our state, are the ones who create jobs in Iowa. Iowa needs leadership that understands government does not create jobs – risk-taking entrepreneurs and small business owners create jobs and grow our economy,” continued Strawn.

Strawn noted that Iowa Republicans are offering bold solutions at the Capitol to empower Iowans, not government, to secure and create jobs in the Hawkeye State. Strawn specifically referred to GOP proposals providing immediate and substantial job creation tax credits, constitutionally protecting Iowa’s Right-to-Work law, and begin a fundamental debate on Iowa’s hostile tax and regulatory environment.

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