• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / News / Lawmaker hopes to help Puerto Ricans move to Iowa for jobs

Lawmaker hopes to help Puerto Ricans move to Iowa for jobs

February 24, 2020 By O. Kay Henderson

A bill pending in the Iowa House would set up a state grant program to cover the moving expenses for Puerto Ricans who’ve landed jobs in Iowa — outside of the largest Iowa cites.

Republican Representative Joe Mitchell of Wayland is the bill’s sponsor to “help employers bring folks from Puerto Rico up to fill these workforce voids.”

He says with the hurricanes and earthquakes rocking their communities, many Puerto Ricans are looking to move to the mainland.

“Right now for a family of four, it’s about $5000 to fly them up here, to move their belongings up here, to get them in good, quality, affordable housing,” Mitchell says.

His bill sets up a “Grow Iowa’s Talent Pool Fund” to award grants for businesses that reimburse employees for moving expenses. The grants would be limited to companies located in a city or township that has fewer than 50,000 people.

The Census Bureau estimated that in 2017, about 7500 people who were originally from Puerto Rico had moved to Iowa.

“Obviously the biggest marketer of this program is going to be Puerto Ricans themselves who’ve already come up here and encourage family members to come up,” Mitchell says.

Puerto Rico became a U.S. territory in 1898 and people born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens. Hurricane Maria struck the island in 2017. Earthquakes struck in January. Thousands remain without power.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt Tagged With: Legislature

Featured Stories

DOT plow crews struggling against blizzard conditions

Iowa delegation breaks along party lines on Trump impeachment vote

Two northeast Iowa men admit to illegally harvesting ginseng

Do you have to pay tax on your stimulus check?

All six in Iowa’s congressional delegation confirm Electoral College results

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State-Kansas postponed

Iowa-Michigan State postponed

Fire damage to Riverfront Stadium electrical system will cost Waterloo thousands

Iowa State at Kansas State postponed

Iowa State’s Foster to miss remainder of the season

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC