Fallon criticizes Values Fund job figures ----- tell it like it is Ed!!!

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/NEWS09/603240356/1056&template=printart


Democratic candidate for governor Ed Fallon said Thursday that state officials, including Gov. Tom Vilsack, had inflated job creation estimates attributed to an economic incentive program.

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He said that the number of jobs actually created by the Values Fund was closer to 1,200 and that most of them went to one company, Wells Fargo & Co.

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Fallon's criticism was aimed as much at former economic development director Michael Blouin, also a Democrat running for governor in the June 6 primary. Blouin is the architect of the $500 million program, passed by the Legislature and signed by Vilsack in 2003.

Secretary of State Chet Culver, another Democrat making a gubernatorial bid, has been critical of the program, too. Vilsack, a Democrat, often cites the program as one of the defining achievements of his time in office.

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Thank you Ed Fallon! Shining light on Vilsack/Blouin's boondoggle - using our tax dollars to aid corporations instead of workers. No, if we could just clear up the 'average wage/living wage' issue this program will be (hopefully) re-figured or just gotten rid of entirely!

I am still waiting a response from the IDED on the Values Fund. I've requested data that shows the jobs created, where they were created, and the mean and median wages of those jobs. Still no response.

Probably won't get one, huh?

into Blouin yet? :rofl:

I AM on his distro of supporters, due to a small meeting I attended at the beginning of his candidacy, so ya never know!! I sure didn't give him any money, but I haven't given to anyone but Loebsack yet.

But I am sure someone on his staff has read this site a time or two, so who knows. My login name here isn't real sneaky or anything.

They better respond to me, even to tell me no, or I will raise a stink that they will regret.

Like it will be hard to figure out which poster I am :P

I'm sure the IDED is worried :scared: They'll just have the Dept. of Rev. find some of your unpaid state taxes if you keep it up!!!!

D.....we both may have to think about start posting under new names....

Lol, hey I might not scare them, but I promise if I don't get some answers about the "progress" the IDED has made with the Values Fund that I will post their lack of response and lack of progress everywhere I can. Hell hath no fury like Seth scorned!

It's not like I am asking for state secrets, I just want to know what the state is doing with my damn money.

November 15th?!

I did get an "out of office" reply from an email address within the IDED, so if I don't get a response within a week or so of that person's return I will follow up, and follow up, and follow up.

I guess if they are going to tout it as this big great program for Iowa, they shouldn't have any issues with ponyin' up the damn data that verifies that, right?

This seems to be some kind of national secret.
BTW did you know there is a suit before the US supremes challenging the giveaways to corporations by governmental units? The challenge is based on the commerce clause of the constitution. The basis is that if no state can impede the flow of commerce between states with tariffs etc. then they should not be allowed to cut each others' throats with giveaways.
AMEN! (source is DMR March 12 opinion page 30P - Richard Doak column)

And thanks for the info on the Supreme Court case...I would make a hefty wager on nothing big changing, but it's good to know it's being fought.

He has never been supportive of governments supporting private industry. I hope this case has legs.

There are a number of good writers at the DMR, and a number of heavily-biased Rethugs (e.g., Yepsen, Jane Norman), and I am not wild about the managers, but I like Dick Doak the best. I don't always agree with him, but I never disagree.