DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 2.8 percent in March. The state’s jobless rate was 3.3 percent one year ago. The U.S. unemployment rate remained at 4.1 percent in March. Beth Townsend, Iowa Workforce Development Director, said Friday (Today), that  “Iowa’s economy continued to show overall gains in job growth with a drop in the unemployment rate in March to 2.8 percent. Iowa has added a net of 10,600 jobs since last March including manufacturing jobs that increased by 10,400 alone.” Townsend said also, “Iowa currently has 224,200 manufacturing jobs and the number is trending upward.  Increasing the skilled worker labor pool continues to be a pressing issue and the unanimous passage of the Future Ready Iowa Act by the Legislature, signed by Governor Reynolds on April 3, is a significant step in addressing that need.”

The number of unemployed Iowans decreased to 47,300 in March from 47,900 in February. The current estimate is 8,200 lower than the year ago level of 55,500.  The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,626,100 in March. This figure was 500 higher than February and 300 higher than one year ago.

Iowa businesses shed 600 jobs from payrolls in March, lowering total non-farm employment down to 1,582,100 jobs. This is the second decline to begin 2018, and this month’s loss was localized entirely within private services. Goods producing industries added jobs for the second consecutive month. Private services shed 2,100 jobs, completely offsetting a gain of 1,700 last month. Government was little changed versus February and is up 500 jobs compared to last March.

Construction sectors added the most jobs in March (+1,300), marking the second consecutive increase in jobs. This sector experienced declines throughout most of 2017 and to begin the year, so the monthly gains are welcomed news for this industry. Professional, scientific, and technical services advanced by 700 jobs, partially due to gains in law offices and tax preparation services. Elsewhere, gains were seen in finance and insurance (+500), transportation (+300), and arts and entertainment (+300). Alternatively, losses continued to plague retail, which shed 1,800 jobs in March. This sector has steadily trended down since October. Accommodations and food services also lost jobs this month (-1,100) and have lost 1,800 jobs thus far this year. Smaller losses this month included private education (-500), other services (-500), and wholesale trade (-200).

Since last March, a total of 10,600 jobs have been added. Manufacturing continues to trend upward and has increased by 10,400 jobs alone. Durable goods factories have contributed 7,900 jobs added versus 2,500 in nondurable goods workshops. Finance and insurance industries experienced a surge in hiring to end the year and now rests up 2,900 jobs since last March, matching the annual gains in healthcare and social assistance. Following recent declines, retail now trails last year’s mark by 4,600 jobs. Construction also lags behind last year’s level (-3,900); however, this number has been declining as construction has shown signs of hiring over the past few months.

This week the Iowa House unanimously passed a bill designed that may give rural Iowans who don’t have ready access to ambulance services another avenue to get it. Representative Zach Nunn of Bondurant says Myrna Hunt’s story about her husband’s heart attack in late 2013 helped spur the action. Hunt told legislators her husband died on their front steps in Runnells, just a couple of blocks away from the volunteer fire department. “She called 911 for the volunteers to come and after 20 minutes she called 911 again and more than an hour later, when the volunteers finally arrived and escorted her husband to a hospital here in Des Moines, he’d already passed away from cardiac arrest,” Nunn said. “This is just one of many tales that come from our volunteers across the state who are doing the best they can with limited resources.”

The bill would let residents in unincorporated areas — outside city limits — petition for a vote that would raise property taxes in the township to pay for emergency medical services. Representative Amy Nielsen, the former mayor of North Liberty, says the lack of access to ambulance services in rural areas is troubling. “I believe that this bill is a good first step in making EMS an essential service, just like fire protection,” Nielsen says. Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton says legislators have been working on this bill for six years. “I think all of us enjoy going to our EMS ambulance service pancake breakfasts, but that’s ridiculous that they have to do that just to be able to fill the gaps in their budget,” Kaufmann says. “…This bill is just a start, but I think it’s a great start.”

The bill now goes to the Senate for review.

(Radio Iowa)

It’s an even-numbered year, so that means legislators who have decided to retire rather than seek re-election are given an “open mic” moment.  In the House, retiring representatives give floor speeches. Clel Baudler of Greenfield kicked the speech-a-thon off this week with a nearly 20-minute speech. “A man, in his lifetime, has good days and bad days and I hope this decision I’ve made to retire is a good one,” Baudler said. In the Iowa Senate, the public farewells last far longer, sometimes for hours. Colleagues start things off with compliments, shared humor and sometimes an outright roasting, then the retiree gets to speak. Mark Chelgren of Ottumwa spoke for nearly half an hour after his peers finished. Retiring Senator Rick Bertrand started his 20-minute speech by admitting to being a bit numb.

Bertrand used part of his speech to settle old scores with former Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix. Bertrand revealed he met his wife 23 years ago at the Waveland Tap in Des Moines. It’s the same bar where Dix was pictured kissing a lobbyist — images posted online that prompted Dix to resign last month. Bertrand called that karma. Senator Bob Dvorsky, of Coralville, is retiring after 32 years in the legislature and he offered a few “principles” about the legislative process. “You can probably get most things passed here as long as you don’t care who gets credit for it,” Dvorsky said. “…The second one is we deal in raging incrementalism.”

Dvorsky gave a relatively short, five-minute-long goodbye speech and, like many exiting lawmakers, he choked up at the end. “We’re here as public servants and we can be proud of that and I will miss all that dearly,” Dvorsky said. “And one other thing I will miss — I will miss all of you.” Once the reminiscing, advice, compliments and emotional goodbyes are over, SOME of the retiring senators get a piece of furniture. Lawmakers who’ve served at least 20 years in the state senate get to take the chair from their senate desk. Neither the House nor the Senate will be in session today (Friday). Next week, more farewell speeches are on tap. One retiring senator has yet to be recognized and 15 other retiring members of the House will have the option of giving farewell remarks.

(Radio Iowa)