CR Chamber leader says small towns need to do better marketing of themselves

The president of the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce says small towns located near bigger cities need to market themselves as a home for those who work in the larger communities. Ron Corbett says the “hub and spoke” concept angers some of those on the “spoke” end, but he says Cedar Rapids benefits by having an airport that links to hubs in Minneapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. Corbett says smaller towns can dramatically improve the average wage level by encouraging folks to live in their town, and commute to the higher-paying job in a nearby city. Corbett says Iowa legislators should encourage communities to offer incentives like child care and free utility hook-ups. Corbett made his comments on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program which will air Friday night.