Comment on Cedar Rapids doubles down on ‘aggressive’ approach to economic development

CEDAR RAPIDS — The city of Cedar Rapids is expanding its economic development forces and at the same time tightening oversight for awarding public dollars to private organizations helping on similar fronts — underscoring an aggressive approach to a service that 10 years ago was handled externally but is now a top municipal priority.Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz’s economic development experience was seen as one of the top skills he brought in 2010 coming from West Des Moines to help Iowa’s second-largest city rebuild from an historic flood.