Changes to Workforce Development bad for rural Iowa

Recent area press accounts report of the merger of Iowa Workforce Development Areas into centralized services.

This will sharply lessen local resources at a critical time.

The clever talking points provided to the press claim this is to increase efficiency. Baloney! This is about survival and the words are classic "Lipstick on a pig jabber." The real story is that both the state and federal governments have slashed workforce funding to rural Iowa.

The Trump administration plans more cuts next year.

Here in Henry County, the Supervisors voted to support the merger, as if they had much of a choice.

This same maneuver by Republican administrations has dissolved our regional system of mental health care and eliminated key AmeriCorps programs altogether. Yes, out of necessity services will be condensed and improvements in technology may be a benefit.

But, don't think this is a good thing as rural Iowa workforce needs grow and centralized bureaucracy expands.

At a time when young Iowans are leaving the state, we can't find doctors and teachers, and immigrant labor is disappearing, we slam workforce development.

To be sure the Reynolds Administration will toss some morsels to programs here and there and then spend more on crafting and promoting talking points than on the morsels.

Readers should ask some questions. Fuzzy talking points are like fuzzy math. Beware.

David Helman, Salem