Rob Sand Announces "Opportunities for All" Plan, Part of the "Truer Better Agenda"

DES MOINES, IA – Today, nominee for governor Rob Sand released the latest policy proposal in his “Truer Better Agenda.” Dubbed “Opportunities for All,” the plan includes a series of proposals to better support Iowa’s farm economy, small- and mid-size farmers, and Iowa’s rural communities. The plan also includes common-sense proposals to help boost the economy and improve all Iowans’ lives across the state, from rural to urban to suburban.

“Growing up in small-town Iowa, I never felt like I had fewer opportunities than kids in other communities. But today, our small towns and main streets are struggling, young workers and families are leaving for better opportunities in other states, and the Iowa way of life is becoming a thing of the past. I want to change that,” said nominee for governor Rob Sand. “This is personal to me – I’m raising my kids here, and I want them to have more opportunities than I had growing up, not less. That’s why I’m releasing these new policies to support Iowa families, protect Iowa family farms, and ensure that communities across our state not just get by, but thrive.”

Rob’s “Opportunities for All” plan includes:

• Investing in Iowa’s economy and workforce:

  • Increasing the minimum wage to $12/hour.

  • Expanding Statewide Work, Statewide Jobs, Rob’s signature program he launched in the Auditor’s Office that allows state employees to work in any of Iowa’s 99 counties.

  • Cut red tape to better support Iowa small businesses, including training grants, matched savings accounts, and small business support for businesses with 10 employees or fewer.

  • Improving access to high-speed internet.

  • Keeping Iowans in Iowa.

• Saving the family farm:

  • Implementing multiple revenue streams like agri-tourism (cideries, selling farm-produced products, land-based services, equipment rentals, etc.)

  • Investing in sustainable commodities: convert agriculture waste into valuable bio-based products.

  • Investing in renewable energy production.

  • Increasing investments in local/regional food programs: think farm to school, farm to hospital, farm to prison, etc.

  • Establishing the Office of Rural Prosperity.

• Protecting rural health care:

  • Reversing the privatization of Medicaid.

• Building more housing:

  • Taxing out-of-state landowners at a higher rate and ban hedge funds and LLCs from buying up Iowa land.

  • Cutting bureaucratic red tape to simplify the permitting, fees, and inspections process.

  • Protect Iowans against price gouging.

  • Establishing the Rural Iowa Housing Task Force.

• Protecting the Iowa way of life

Read the full plan HERE.