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Tax attorney announces run for 5th district congressional seat

January 30, 2010 By

A lawyer from Manning who specializes in tax issues is running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s fifth district congressional seat. Matt Campbell  is holding a series of events to announce his candidacy. Campbell graduated from Morningside in Sioux City with a degree in political science and economics and then got his law degree from the University of Iowa.

Campbell says he has worked for some of the largest accounting firms in the country and says he has an extensive business background he would like to put to work for the people of western Iowa to help “get the area a bit more focused on economic development and job creation.” Campbell’s website also says he was a volunteer, intern and temporary caseworker for Senator Tom Harkin and helped campaign for Harkin in Iowa and New Hampshire when the Democrat ran for president. Campbell says the stimulus package passed by congress was important as he says that without it, the country would be in the midst of the second Great Depression.

Campbell says banking systems of whole nations have collapsed, and cites Iceland as an example. “At times I think people have a bit of a short memory as to how difficult the whole situation was,” Campbell says. Campbell says incumbent Republican Congressman Steve King has a thin legislative record.

“I just firmly believe that at such a critical time in our nation’s juncture, that we need the best and the brightest ideas coming to the forefront, and if Mr. King…since 2003 can’t offer any legislation that has been adopted, then it’s time to rotate the crops and see if we can get a better yield for western Iowa,” Campbell says. Campbell says King can be “polarizing with some of the things that he says.” Campbell says before talking about the health care debate that nation must talk about a health crisis.

Campbell says people need to take better care of themselves and have a better diet and more exercise. He says the results of the recent election in Massachusetts shows that the country wants both parties to work together and come to a consensus on the issue and he says both Republicans and Democrats are very much concerned about the cost of a health care plan. Campbell is the second Democrat to announce plans to run in the fifth district. Mike Denklau of Council Bluffs also hopes to face off against King.

By Ryan Long, KICD, Spencer

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

More development planned around Council Bluffs ped bridge

January 30, 2010 By

More development is being planned along the Missouri River on either side of the new pedestrian bridge that joins Omaha and Council Bluffs. At the base of the bridge on the Nebraska side is Bridge Plaza, featuring a playground, “fiber-wave” sculptures, water jets and an amphitheater. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan says the Riverfront Park Complex on the Iowa side is completely different from its Omaha companion.

Mayor Hanafan says, “Our full intent was to make the Iowa side more environmentally-sound, easy access to the river.” Council Bluffs is about to embark on an 85-acre development for the area. Hanafan says one big feature will be the six-acre Great Lawn.

He says, “It’ll have some seating embedded in the side so that if you want to have a concert or some activity, if you want to play soccer or baseball or just enjoy yourself along the river.” Hanafan says the Riverfront Park is designed to minimize any damage from flooding.

“By having limited items that can be damaged and a pretty easy clean-up, it’s really kinda’ remembering that it’s going to flood,” he says. “It’s part of the river system.” Riverfront Park is the former site of Playland Park, an amusement park and speedway that was demolished in the early 1970s. The development is described as the largest public project in the metro area in 35 years.

The total cost of the development is 11-million dollars. Construction is expected to start this spring and be completed by 2012. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge also connects 150 miles of hiking and biking trails on each side of the river.

By Karla James

Filed Under: Business

Business expert says Morrell closing will have wide impact

January 30, 2010 By

A business expert in northwest Iowa fears the announcement of the closing of the John Morrell meat-packing plant in Sioux City will have a far-reaching impact that could hurt the entire region. Sam Clovis of Morningside College in Sioux City says the economic blow from the plant’s shut down will be serious.

“You can see what’s going to happen when you have that type of facility close down, the ancillary income that’s associated with a $300-million payroll,” Clovis says. “That disappears and you multiply that seven times over for the multiplier in the community, plus, we’re going to have people leaving. From an economic perspective, that’s pretty easy to measure and it’ll be dramatic.”

Clovis says the impact of the loss of almost 1,500 jobs will extend far beyond Sioux City. He says the closing points out some of the weaknesses of the area. “We sit in a part of the state where we suffer under the onus of a very unfriendly business atmosphere in the state of Iowa compared to our neighbors, compared to South Dakota which is the number-two business state in the union,” Clovis says.

“We do compare more favorably with Nebraska but even Nebraska has a much more favorable business index than Iowa.” Clovis says economic development has to be diversified to help the area regain its lost momentum. He says Iowa needs to create a better business environment, as does the Siouxland area, “to keep this kind of thing from happening again” and to attract new businesses. He says the region has great potential, being a crossroads for the ag industry, having a great interstate system and being on the Missouri River.

The John Morrell plant will close in April. It currently slaughters about ten-thousand head of hogs a day. Clovis is chair of the Business Administration and Economics Department at Morningside.

By Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: