Group says Iowa businesses need to pay more

Leaders of a group drafting a strategic plan for the state say Iowa businesses need to pay better wages to help the state grow. Betsy Brandsgard of Davenport is co-chair of the Governor’s Strategic Planning Council. She says it’s “reality” that the state has to do something.Council chairman David Oman recently focused on the pay issue during a meeting of Iowa business leaders. He told them they have to pay a little more.Oman says Iowa businesses need to increase salaries, particularly in high-skill occupations.Oman says it’s not just full-time salaries that should be raised, he says college interns and other part-time workers need high pay to intice them to stay.The “Iowa 2010” Council is considering a series of recommendations, such as raising Iowa’s minimum wage above the nation’s rate — and restricting state government grants and loans to companies which pay workers at or above the average county wage. The Council has recommended attracting more immigrants to Iowa as a way to grow the state’s population, and Brandsgard says it’ll be important to have “welcome centers” to teach those immigrants about the work world. Brandsgard and Oman made their comments during taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press.”