House GOP proposes nearly $78 million for economic development

DES MOINES — House Democrats welcomed increases in funding for tourism and child care in majority Republicans’ economic development budget, but not so much that they voted for it.

The GOP budget increased funding for regional tourism and marketing by $286,000 to nearly $1.2 million, according to Rep. Phil Thompson, R-Jefferson, who chairs the Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee. The overall budget presented Tuesday called for $49.7 million in general fund dollars and $28.1 million from other funds.

Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt of Cedar Rapids, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, appreciated the increase, but said funding was still far short of the $5 million that had been requested from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

"I think that maybe we could have looked at moving some dollars around and other places to put that money there,“ she said.

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