CRMEA May/June Report 2018

STRATEGIZING PUBLIC POLICY
PRIORITIES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PUBLIC POLICY
The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance is focused on
the growth of our region and we work with our members to
prioritize needs and implement strategies that make local
businesses and our region successful. Our public policy strategy
provides a unified voice of our members to advocate for progrowth
and pro-business policies.
With input from our more than 1,200 member businesses, our
governance leadership, local municipalities and other strategic
partners, we develop our yearly legislative agendas. Our state
priorities this year have focused on programs that address
workforce needs, meaningful tax reform and preserving economic
development programs that help retain and recruit business. Our
federal priorities have focused on pro-Iowa trade policies, job
creating immigration reform and flood protection funding.
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY ON JUNE 5
VISION DOWNTOWN
CEDAR RAPIDS
PLAN OFFERS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
DEVELOPMENT
The historic flood of 2008 forever changed Cedar Rapids,
but under strong leadership, the disaster was turned into
possibility – an opportunity to reinvent the downtown.
The Economic Alliance supports core district growth
by implementing strategic plans for housing, signature
streets and beautification, quality of life events and flood
protection progress.
In 2007, the Economic Alliance (then the Downtown
District) along with other community partners,
commissioned the first “Vision Downtown Cedar Rapids”
plan, which provided a broad understanding of downtown’s
purpose and helped to direct the energy and resources of
future downtown development opportunities.
With many of the initiatives realized and much of
Downtown Cedar Rapids and surrounding districts
transformed, we’re at a turning point.
We saw early success when the Future Ready Iowa Act was
signed into law after receiving unanimous support in both the
House and Senate. The Economic Alliance hosted Governor
Reynolds last year during her Future Ready Iowa Tour where
members had the opportunity to provide feedback and
recommendations to address our region’s workforce shortages
and strategies to fill the skills gap. The law provides a plan
for the state to create opportunities for more Iowans to have
careers in high-demand fields by the year 2025.
Our efforts continue through the year with strategies that
utilize our state and national partners, staff lobbying and
organized member grassroots advocacy.
Electing pro-growth, pro-business candidates is vital to the Economic Alliance’s public policy advocacy efforts. This year Iowans will
go to the polls to choose local, state and federal elected officials and our next chance to influence the outcome is on June 5,
Primary Election Day. To vote in the Primary, you must be registered and choose a party affiliation. Go to the Iowa Secretary of
State’s website, https://sos.iowa.gov, and look for the “Elections” section to view a full list of candidates and obtain information
on how to register to vote.
The most recent update to the plan in 2017 will launch an
even bigger and brighter future thanks to some significant
factors like undeveloped land, or impact sites, in the
heart of downtown, collaborative district leadership and a
general feeling of momentum for Downtown Cedar Rapids.
You can read the entire updated Vision Downtown Cedar
Rapids plan, on our website at www.cedarrapids.org/ourcommunity/downtown.
8 MAY/JUNE 2018