President Obama seeks input on ways to create jobs

By PETER HUSSMANN

Last week, President Barack Obama hosted a discussion on ways to promote job creation across the country. While the economy is showing some signs of recovery, job creation lags with national unemployment figures hovering at 10 percent, and about 8 percent here in Jasper County.

As an outgrowth of that discussion, the White House is asking that individuals throughout the country host Community Jobs Forums to elicit responses on opportunities that exist for adding new jobs and obstacles that stand in the way.

As host of a community news forum, I thought Newton Independent might be a good venue to garner input on job creation opportunities that exist in Newton, Jasper County and central Iowa in general.

The White House listed six general question areas Community Job Forum hosts were to put to communities to hear what's happening on the ground, what's working and what's not.

1. From what you have seen, or seen reported about the President's Jobs Forum on Dec. 3, what seems relevant to your community?
2. What parts of your local economy are working or thriving? What businesses and sectors are expanding and hiring?
3. What parts of your local economy are not working or thriving? What businesses and sectors have been hit the hardest? What are people struggling with the most?
4. What are the opportunities for growth in your community? What businesses and sectors seemed poised to rebound? What do you see as the "jobs of the future?"
5. What are the obstacles to job creation in your community? What could make local businesses more likely to start hiring?
6. What other issues and ideas should the President consider?

Hopefully this can be the start of some considerate conversation about what might be done not only to spur job creation nationally, but continue the efforts at the transformation of the local economy due to the loss of Maytag and the pending loss of at least a portion of the local jobs at Iowa Telecom.

The White House is asking that a final report from the ideas and perspectives presented through this Community Jobs Forum be compiled and returned by Jan. 7. Thank you in advance for your considerate participation.