Study tackles housing

We extend kudos to the city of Fairmont and economic development director Linsey Preuss in the wake of a local housing study released this week. Preuss is facilitating use of the study with local stakeholders, and seeking the input of these experts.

They say the study should be given to contractors and developers, who can note the low rental housing vacancy rate and consider investments. They also back a local tax abatement program for construction of multi-family housing. We are glad Preuss and others pushed for that program since it is exactly the kind of solution that is needed.

County earns recognition

Martin County and its emergency management director, Abigail Nesbit, are to be congratulated for becoming an example for others to follow. Nesbit reported this week that a fire/jail evacuation she conducted last summer has gotten noticed.

She will travel to the Governor’s Emergency Management conference next week to offer a presentation on the exercise. She says the Department of Corrections sees the drill as something it would like every county jail to note and copy on an annual basis. It’s good to know quality ideas like this are being initiated right here in Martin County.

Iowa caucus nightmare

Iowa Democrats should be embarrassed (and horrified, frankly) about the performance of their party and its leaders during this week’s Iowa caucus. Technical issues involving an app essentially shut down the tallying of the votes. When precincts then tried to call in results there were too many calls, jamming the lines.

It is incredible to think that it was easier to get results from the caucus when the technology could not compare to what is available today. Iowa Democrats need to get their act together, figure things out and create a reliable backup system.

Economy humming

Naysayers will never admit that the U.S. economy is in great shape these days. In their mind, doing so automatically transfers credit to President Trump. We think they should lighten up.

Trump and congressional Republicans certainly deserve some credit, for corporate tax cuts and cutting red tape faced by businesses. But the true credit for the economy goes to the investors, entrepreneurs, owners, managers and workers who put in the research, time and effort every day to make their firms succeed. People trying to do better for themselves and their families is the engine of the economy. And it’s running on all cylinders right now.