THE MONTHLY SURVEY OF BUSINESS LEADERS IN IOWA AND EIGHT OTHER MIDWESTERN STATES SHOWS THE REGIONAL ECONOMY REBOUNDED IN DECEMBER.
CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST ERNIE GOSS SAYS IT’S THE FIRST TIME IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE ECONOMY SHOWED A POSITIVE RATING:
GOSSRB1 OC……42-POINT-TWO. :12
GOSS SAYS THE SUPPLY MANAGERS SURVEYED AREN’T TOTALLY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE ECONOMY:
GOSSRB2 OC……..IS NOT GOOD. :13
STILL THE CREIGHTON ECONOMIST SAYS THERE IS REASON FOR OPTIMISM:
GOSSRB3 OC……GOOD REPORT. :18
GOSS ALSO SAYS NEBRASKA’S NEW 12-DOLLAR MINIMUM WAGE WON’T MAKE MUCH OF AN IMPACT.
HE SAYS THE NEW 2024 MINIMUM WAGE IS STILL BELOW THE EQUILIBRIUM WAGE, MEANING IT WON’T HAVE A MAJOR EFFECT ON BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYEES.
GOSS SAYS IF A MANAGER OF A FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT WANTS TO HIRE WORKERS, THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY MORE THAN THE MINIMUM WAGE.
