Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says Sara Lee officials should pay back a stateeconomic development loan they received for their New Hampton plant twoyears ago. Company officials announced Thursday they would close the plantin December and move its operations to other states.The state of Iowa put over one-million dollars into the plant with thepromise Sara Lee would stay for at least five years. Grassley says while thecompany will likely pay the money back, it should give a check to the statetreasury today. Grassley says the focus now should shift to helping the 625workers and their families.Iowa Senator Tom Harkin had asked HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo to look intothe use of a block grant to move the New Hampton jobs to North Carolina.Harkin says the announcement Thursday was a slap in the face of the Sara Leeworkers in New Hampton.
