Branstad sounds campaign themes on ‘Better Future’ tour stop in Cedar Rapids

CEDAR RAPIDS – Sounding many of the same themes he used while campaigning last spring, Gov. Terry Branstad June 6 defended his belt-tightening state budget and proposals for tax relief as a way to attract jobs and businesses to Iowa.

Branstad, who along with majority House Republicans, is insisting on a fiscal 2012 budget of less than $6 billion, urged supporters to call Senate Democrats “and let them know it's time to get down to work.”

“I feel we have a reasonable compromise that does retain preschool, that does provide, in the second year, 2 percent allowable growth for schools on top of fully funding the school aid formula that was cut $215 million short” last year when Democrats controlled the Legislature and governor's office, Branstad said.

Capping the budget at $5.999 billion and reducing commercial property taxes are necessary to stave off a “looming budget deficit” and a $1.3 billion property tax hike, he said at Landmark Aviation at The Eastern Iowa Airport.

The legislative session has dragged on too long – lawmakers are now in their sixth week past the scheduled adjournment – “and now's the time for action,” the governor said.

“We need to make sure the Senate Democrats work with us to get this done before the deadline,” Branstad said referring to the July start of the new fiscal year. “They need to quit playing politics and pass (the budget).”

The partisan audience cheered for property tax relief, for cutting corporate income taxes and for requiring state employees to pay $100 a month toward their health insurance coverage. Less than 85 percent pay anything now, Branstad said.

However, his leaner budget, smaller government argument was not universally accepted.

Branstad is trying to extend more tax relief to corporations under the guise of jobs, Case said. In the meantime, 93,000 Iowa children live in poverty.

Carrie Meyer of Marion would like one of those jobs Branstad talked about, but she needs to go back to college first, she said. She's planning to study architectural technology at Kirkwood Community College, but won't be able to if she can't send her 4-year-old daughter to preschool.

Branstad said his plan to charge parents – based on income – for preschool won't get enacted this year. However, the Branstad-House Republican budget calls for cutting preschool funding in half. He wants parents to pay for preschool based on their income.

That's OK with Meyer, who said she and her husband make little more than $20,000 in a good year.

Charging wealthier parents for preschool will leave the state with more resources available to help those with lower incomes, Branstad said.

According to Branstad, reducing state spending and getting a handle on the budget gimmicks he said previous administrations used will make Iowa more attractive to job-creating business.

He rejected a Democratic argument that the state has a $1 billion budget surplus. The state will use the ending balance this year to pay its bill next year and the year after, the governor said.

Then, he said, the state can use future ending balances “to reduce taxes, to bring more business and jobs to Iowa and also investing in things that are going to improve educational achievement. I think they all go together.”

Branstad will continue his tour June 7 with stops at 10:30 a.m. at the Michael J. Manatt Community Center in Brooklyn and at 2:45 p.m. at Pizza Ranch in Manchester.

A more complete scheduled for his 43-city “Working Together for a Better Future” tour can be found at

www.governor.iowa.gov.