Stan Thompson, the republican running for Iowa’s third district congressional seat, is promising to create 10-thousand jobs in five years if he’s elected. Thompson says he analyzed total employment in the district, and 10-thousand jobs equals about three percent growth. Thompson says there are a number of changes the federal government can make to spur job creation.Thompson suggests expanding the tax credits for college tuition by two-thousand dollars per student per year to ensure Iowa’s workers are better educated. And Thompson says already-existing federal programs aren’t benefitting Iowa. Thompson says just one of the Treasury Department’s “New Market” tax credits for business development in low- and moderate-income communities have been awarded in Iowa. Thompson says there are nine-billion dollars worth of those credits left, and he’ll press to get some for Iowa. Republicans often say it’s businesses, not government, that create jobs. Thompson says his plan addresses government regulations because they impact job creation. Thompson says he supports closing tax loopholes that encourage companies to send jobs overseas, as well as legal reforms that would help reduce legal costs for companies. Thompson, a republican lawyer from Des Moines, is running against democratic Congressman Leonard Boswell of Des Moines. Boswell campaign spokesman Mark Daley says “Stan’s plan is weak and completely overshadowed by Congressman Boswell’s record. His goal of 10,000 new jobs over five years pales in comparison to the 84-thousand jobs Congressman Boswell helped create in his first four years in Congress and the 112-thousand jobs he secured in the highway bill for the next six years.” The third congressional district includes Des Moines, Newton, Grinnell, Knoxville, Pella and Oskaloosa.
