For immediate release; May 5, 2009
Contact: Danielle Plogmann 319.290.4185

Reps. Wendt and Whitead watch while wind energy jobs blow to Kansas:
Local legislators fail to act to improve Iowa’s ability to compete for green jobs.

Sioux City--“The decision by Siemens Energy to locate a new manufacturing facility and it 400 new jobs to Kansas, rather than Sioux City, is a serious blow to economic development efforts in Iowa as the global business community watches politicians like Roger Wendt and Wes Whitead pursue big-labor’s job-killing agenda and support efforts to pass an income tax increase through the elimination of federal deductibility,” Jeffrey Boeyink, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Iowa, said today.

Boeyink continued, “Actions have consequences. Unfortunately for 80,000 unemployed workers throughout Iowa generally, and the thousands of unemployed in the Siouxland area specifically, the consequences of Rep. Wendt’s and Whitead’s actions are the loss of 400 potential jobs for those in desperate need.

“You can’t offer wind energy incentives one day, and then try to put labor interests before business interests the next. That kind of mixed message doesn’t create jobs. And a borrowing scheme that will cost Iowa taxpayers $1.7 billion over the next 20 years doesn’t create jobs either.

“Republicans know the way to job creation is by working to improve the competitive tax and regulatory climate so as to encourage entrepreneurs and job creators to bring their businesses to Iowa in the future,” concluded Boeyink.

Link to story announcing the Siemens’ decision to locate to Kansas.

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