Jobs that Need to Get Done: Theresa Greenfield’s “Small Towns, Bigger Paychecks” Plan
Iowa is a state of small towns and small businesses. But too often, politicians in Washington spend their time looking out for their corporate donors, while our small businesses and workers get stuck with the short end of the stick.
I’m not taking a dime of corporate PAC money and I’m releasing the start of my economic agenda that actually puts Iowa’s small businesses, workers and farmers first. These policy priorities will help protect and grow the small businesses that make Iowa special, while increasing wages and expanding good-paying job opportunities.
That starts by providing relief and more opportunities for small businesses, investing in jobs and skills training programs, and finally passing a robust infrastructure plan, while also making sure we’re producing goods here in America, so that we are not so reliant on foreign countries like China. We must all make sure economic growth includes every Iowan by tearing down systemic barriers to employment and opportunity.
These policy priorities build on the two plans I’ve previously released to put our workers and small businesses first and safely reopen our economy during this pandemic. And let’s be clear: those jobs still need to get done. Our economy will still be stuck in the mud as long as Washington politicians like Senator Ernst put their big corporate donors first, while failing to get our families PPE, worker protections, expanded unemployed benefits and more urgent, economic relief in the form of direct payments.
But when you run a small business you learn to not only solve the day-to-day problems right in front of you, but also the need to stay focused on getting ahead in the long term.
I understand the struggles of our families right now. As a small businesswoman, I also went through tough times during the Great Recession and even lost my own job. But I did what many Iowans do. I got back on my feet and ended up stronger for it. I eventually ran a family-owned small business, where we did right by our employees, paying our workers good wages, and making sure they had access to affordable health care and paid sick leave.
That same way, I know that if we work together and take care of our own, we will get through this public health and economic crisis. And once we do, I’m ready to use my grit, resolve and real-life business experiences to do things differently in Washington, making sure our economy grows and works for every Iowan — not just Wall Street CEOs and big corporations.
Every Iowan wants the dignity of working hard and providing for their family. I’m going to fight like heck in the U.S. Senate to make that a reality.
Sincerely,
Theresa
Growing Small Businesses in Iowa: Whether you’re a plumber, a housing contractor, a graphic designer or planning to launch your own startup, we need to take concrete steps to promote Iowa’s small businesses and to help the next generation of Iowans start their own small businesses and create more jobs. About half of Iowa’s workforce works in small businesses. However, 50% of small businesses have just enough funds to cover one month of typical expenses like rent, utilities and payroll. Washington needs to do more to help our small businesses. We can start by passing legislation to expand access to credit for small businesses, including strengthening targeted investments like the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) and empowering the Small Business Administration to focus on small businesses in underserved and rural communities. This must include targeted investments to help Black, Brown and Indigenous business owners. Additionally, we need to expand Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses and ensure more transparency and accountability to crack down on the big corporations lining their pockets with taxpayer dollars that should go to small businesses.
We also need to be pragmatic and reduce burdensome red tape. For every new regulation put on the books in Washington, let’s reform others that are old, inefficient or not working — while never forgetting to protect the health and safety of our workers and the general public.
Invest in Debt-Free Community College & Skills Training: Theresa put herself through school and knows that the high cost of college is holding Iowans back. The percentage of borrowers with $50,000 in student debt tripled in the last decade, while one report found nearly 7 in 10 seniors who graduated from public and non-profit colleges had student loan debt. That is why we must push to make community college debt free. We must also do more to promote union apprenticeships and vocational training programs that allow Iowans to earn wages while they learn, like Theresa’s late husband did as an IBEW electrical worker, so that every worker can have a chance to succeed. Making sure every Iowan has the skills they need to earn a good-paying job is crucial to increasing wages, filling workforce gaps and providing Iowans with more opportunities to start their own small business.
Rebuilding Iowa’s Infrastructure the Right Way: It’s a failure of both parties in Washington to not pass a meaningful, robust infrastructure package. Iowa is first in the nation with the number of structurally deficient bridges, with just under 20% structurally deficient in 2018, while 15% of Iowa’s rural roads are in poor condition, the 20th highest rate in the nation. We are also desperately in need of access to rural, high-speed broadband. Instead of investing in good-paying jobs and rebuilding our infrastructure, Senator Ernst voted for massive tax giveaways to the wealthiest and big corporations, adding $2 trillion to the debt. We must end the corporate tax handouts and finally pass a bipartisan infrastructure package that expands and enhances rural broadband in every county in Iowa and focuses on expanded renewable, clean energy technologies. We must also rebuild our infrastructure the right way, which means local, Iowa workers using American-made materials to build, while earning wages that can support their families, with quality affordable health care, good benefits and strong workplace safety measures.
Keeping the Jobs We Have & Bringing More Home: We must do more to make sure we’re producing goods here in America, so that we are not so reliant on foreign countries like China. We should not give tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas. We must also pass the Stop Swaps, Protect Local Jobs Act, which stops state and local governments from circumventing Buy America protections for workers. We can also protect workers by strengthening federal standards and enforcement to crack down on big corporations that try to skirt Buy America requirements by only sourcing part of their products in the United States.
Promoting Inclusive Economic Growth: We must boost Black, Brown and Indigenous ownership of small businesses, helping Iowans in every zip code achieve their American dream. While Iowa has about 15,000 minority-owned small businesses, BIPOC business owners have long been denied the same opportunities as other entrepreneurs and are more likely to be denied a loan or to face more obstacles to getting the funding they need. For example, Black residents in Polk County were denied loans at a rate 2.1 times the county average. Let’s end discriminatory lending practices, invest more in Community Development Financial Institutions, and invest in grants and low-interest loans for minority business owners, so that all Iowans have the opportunity to be a part of our small business community.
