AAs the Iowa Legislature moves through this session, the decisions being made at the Capitol will have long-lasting implications for our communities, our workforce, and Iowa’s economic future. In the Dec. 10, 2025 article, the Times-Republican highlighted concerns raised by employers and community college leaders regarding recommendations tied to job training programs, including those connected to Iowa’s long-standing 260 initiatives. For context, 260E is tailored to new and expanding businesses looking to create jobs, and 260F is focused on upskilling current employees. These concerns deserve thoughtful consideration, particularly as lawmakers weigh broader economic development proposals designed to keep Iowa competitive.

Iowa has made meaningful progress in recent years to modernize its approach to economic development. Programs such as Business Incentives for Growth and the Major Economic Growth Attraction initiative reflect a clear understanding that business attraction, expansion, and retention require updated tools that respond to today’s economic realities. Proposals now before the Legislature, including the creation of a new Headquarters Expansion and Development for Growth and Employment incentive and the extension of the MEGA program, continue that momentum. These efforts send an important signal that Iowa is open for business and serious about long-term growth.

However, incentives alone do not build strong communities. Workforce development remains the backbone of sustainable economic success, especially in rural Iowa. For more than four decades, Iowa’s 260 programs have quietly but effectively supported local employers by ensuring workers have the skills needed to succeed. At Iowa Valley, these programs provide customized training delivered quickly, locally, and in direct partnership with business and industry. They help manufacturers modernize and expand and emerging industries take root in communities that might otherwise be overlooked.

Proposals to repeal the New Jobs Tax Credit and eliminate the withholding credit associated with the 260E program understandably raise concerns. While oversight and fiscal responsibility are important, it is equally important not to dismantle mechanisms that have proven their value, particularly in rural regions where access to alternative training resources is limited. Any changes must preserve the core strength of the 260 model: flexibility, responsiveness, and strong accountability through community colleges that are deeply embedded in their local economies.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s request to add a short-term training component to the BIG program is a positive recognition that training cannot be separated from business expansion. Yet this addition should complement, not replace, the 260 framework. Community colleges already serve as trusted stewards of training dollars, ensuring that public investment directly benefits workers, employers, and local communities.

As legislators consider these proposals alongside broader initiatives, I urge them to view workforce development as a foundational strategy, not a line item to be trimmed. Strong businesses require skilled workers, and skilled workers thrive when training is accessible, timely, and aligned with real jobs.

This legislative session presents an opportunity to build on Iowa’s success while protecting the tools that have worked for decades. By strengthening economic incentives and preserving proven workforce programs like 260, Iowa can continue to foster growth that reaches every corner of our state.

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Dr. Anne Howsare Boyens is the president of the Iowa Valley Community College District.