Those Google-ites seem to have it all. They get free fancy chef-prepared food 24-7, can bring their dogs to work and now have a free shuttle bus to help them avoid notorious Silicon Valley traffic.
But what kind of life quality do they have outside of work? Sure, the big guys have mansions on the coast and personal assistants to schlep their dry cleaning and groceries. But the workers are living in tiny apartments and buying a house will cost you 800 large for a bungalow in a marginal neighborhood.
Google, I invite you to come and check out Iowa. Imagine having your fabulous campus here in the heartland...where the living is easy. You could duplicate the same arrangement you have in California for half the price. All of your employees could park on site and be able to afford homes. A quarter of a million bucks can buy you a very nice home here. You'll even have money left over for a new car, a boat and a terrific vacation every year. Your commute would most likely be around 20 minutes. We have safe neighborhoods, great schools, and plenty of cultural attractions and sporting events.
Car insurance is the lowest in the nation. Gas is a dollar per gallon cheaper.
I know, I know, you like living next to the beach. But how often do you get there? Uh huh, I didn't think so.
Google, I invite you to email me at claire.celsi@gmail.com to set up your personal tour. I'll bet the governor would pick you up at the airport.
Do you now work for the Iowa Economic Development Board? Gee, what a good idea to attract major companies in expensive areas of the country to relocate to Iowa where cost of living is cheaper. I hate to be the first to break the news that maybe there are other people besides you that have been working in REAL jobs to attract businesses to do just that. What's your real agenda in posting this blog? Do you think you personally have the power to pursuad THE GOGGLE to pack it up and move to . . .Iowa? Or do you want us (your readers) to think that you are so smart and powerful that you can personally lobby to secure Goggle to relocate to Iowa? I think you might be more off balanced than I originally thought. You are definately having illusions of grandeur regarding your perception of your personal importance and influence on the political and business world. If you actually get contacted from Googgle, I'll be the FIRST to congratulate you and willingly eat crow. In the meantime, I'd look into some electroshock therapy because you are definately not well in my opinion in how you perceive your own self importance.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Wow Claire, if you can really pursuad Goggle to pack it up and leave sunny liberal California to come to land locked conservative Iowa, then I've got some beach front property in Arizona that I'd like to have you sell for me.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2007 at 12:23 PM
Google is hiring at such a rate that they and other tech companies will have to look at second locations at some point. They might as well look at Iowa. After all, their business is on the Internet, and as we all know, the Intenet reaches everywhere. And why would I have to be an important person to think of inviting Google to Iowa? It's just an idea that popped into my head.
Posted by: Claire | March 10, 2007 at 12:28 PM
I think what Iowa is really missing is a ready workforce for a company like Google. The people Google wants to hire are in California, because the companies those people want to work at are in California, because the people those companies want to hire are in California... and so on. Sure, the beach was a big part of starting this cycle, but at this point the cycle is self-perpetuating, and it's not likely to be broken by such a large company as Google.If you really want to encourage the tech industry in Iowa, focus on small companies. Get the next Google to come out of Iowa by providing local tech entrepreneurs with the resources they need to get started. Work with the city council to set up a municipal wireless network, work with the chamber of commerce to establish meetings between tech geeks and investors, work with the library or Drake to start a tech speaker series, etc. There's plenty of potential already in Iowa - you just need to convince it to stay rather than moving to California.
Posted by: Scott Reynen | March 10, 2007 at 01:07 PM
Great comment Scott. On a small scale this is starting to happen in the university towns like Iowa City with their connection so closely linked to the University of Iowa. I agree that we have the work force right here in Iowa with our highly educated and dependable employees. We also have plenty of tech companies (computer,medical, ect. . .) which are just getting started. Claire needs to put here energies into marketing Iowa home grown companies with Iowa workers rather than reaching for the "pie in the sky" Goggles of the business world.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2007 at 02:10 PM
I'm not sure what it's going to take to attract and retain high tech companies to Iowa. Claire states the obvious, but that hasn't done the trick yet. There are small communities all around the state that would give whatever tax breaks and incentives necessary to get even a small business to relocate or start a business in their town. I guess I think that's more the way to go. The Goggles of the world are one in a million, but the small business seem like they would be easier and less costly while still producing a very positive economic impact of the community that they have their business as well as the state of Iowa at large.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2007 at 08:27 PM
The bad thing is that sometimes these companies practically blackmail these small towns to get everything they can possibly get in financial breaks with the threat that they can just take their business down the road to town X where they'd be more than happy to pony up the cash. That's why the state government needs to be involved at a certain level to insure that the local communities and tax payers aren't getting hosed just to create a few low paying jobs.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 10, 2007 at 09:44 PM
To the first commentor: Get a *really* big grip. Someone needs therapy and it ain't Claire!
Posted by: Michelle | March 11, 2007 at 11:42 PM
Having lived in Silicon Valley before they got famous for importing silicon...the Des Moines metro reminds me of S.J. in the early-to-mid 80s.Claire has a point in that the increase in disposable income would be great for the employees, though I wonder if they'd all move.I could see a satellite office here, but it would probably be focused on local search/sales type of thing.
Posted by: Mike Sansone | March 19, 2007 at 12:50 PM