Ron Corbett is retiring from his position as vice president of economic development with the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance on March 31.
While Mr. Corbett is only 65 years old and could very well return to some type of corporate or community leadership position in the coming months or years, he will be remembered as one of the region’s most consequential leaders over the past quarter century — spanning politics, economic development and business.
He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1987 through 1999, including as speaker of the House from 1995 to 1999. He served as mayor of Cedar Rapids from 2009 through 2017 and was president of the Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce — the Economic Alliance’s predecessor — from 1999 to 2005.
Mr. Corbett was instrumental in shepherding a change in the form of government for the City of Cedar Rapids from a commission form to a council-manager form, which took effect in 2006.
While mayor, he helped the city with its flood recovery efforts; he put a much-needed emphasis on Cedar Rapids being “open for business” after the floods of 2008; and he hired Jeff Pomeranz as city manager in 2010.
While Mr. Corbett was a Republican and deeply committed to Cedar Rapids, he was well-known for working across the aisle to get things done. He celebrated regional accomplishments with a keen understanding that an economic development win in Iowa City or Marion was also a win for his adopted hometown of Cedar Rapids.
He mounted an unsuccessful challenge against Gov. Kim Reynolds in the 2018 GOP primary, but failed to gather enough signatures to get on the ballot.
We long for his approachable, consensus-building style of leadership and the influence he carried in Des Moines as speaker of the House.
He deserves a restful retirement after all he has done for Cedar Rapids and the region.
ISEA is failing teachers
A Wall Street Journal editorial recently described the national teachers union in a recent editorial as the “left’s most destructive interest group.”
It’s the same here with Iowa’s teachers union.
Why else would the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA) sit on the sidelines when proposed state legislation (Senate File 2428 and House File 2538) would better protect teachers from violence in the classroom — a signature issue for many teachers across the state that has driven countless educators out of the profession?
Inexplicably, the ISEA remained “undecided” on this important legislation, which recently passed both chambers — unanimously in the Senate — but must be reconciled before it can go to the governor’s office for her signature.
No legislation is perfect, but giving teachers some support in dealing with disruptive and violent students is an important step in the right direction.
The Wall Street Journal added in that same editorial: “Individual teachers do important work, but the unions care only for how much money they can squeeze from taxpayers for salary and pensions.”
It’s a shame the ISEA doesn’t go to bat for teachers on issues beyond salaries and pensions — like protecting them from violence in the classroom.
