Culver cites key accomplishments of his term

Gov. Chet Culver predicts his four years at the helm of Iowa's executive branch will be remembered as a progressive era.

As his term as governor approaches the end, Culver, 44, points to Iowa's rise to national leadership status in wind energy and biofuel production and in providing health-care coverage and preschool opportunities for children as his major accomplishments.

He also is proud of leading the charge to raise pay for Iowa teachers to the national average, boost the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour and reduce tobacco use. He did the latter through a clean air act that banned smoking in most workplaces, a $1-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax and a cessation program that helped some 80,000 Iowans kick the habit.

The former high school government teacher, coach and two-term Iowa secretary of state said he kept his promise of balancing the state's budget, even when beset by historic natural and economic disasters that forced some tough decisions. He leaves office with projections of a $514.5 million ending balance come June 30, $434 million in reserves and the state's first-ever AAA bonding rating.

“I think it's a very positive mark. I'll put my record over the last four years up against any governor in the country. We've really outperformed nearly every state,” Culver said. “I think the facts will show that we got the job done, that we governed effectively and we left this state in better shape than it was when I started the job.

“If you set aside a lot of the political rhetoric and you try to look objectively at where Iowa is today versus the rest of the country, more often than not we're at the very front of the pack,” he added. “I feel good about what we've accomplished, but I'm not preoccupied with legacy.”

Culver concedes times are tough for many Iowans still dealing with the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and the worst flooding to hit Iowa in 2008.

He also admits to making mistakes that made him vulnerable politically; otherwise, last month's election would have turned out differently, and he would not be the first sitting Iowa governor to be voted out of office in nearly 50 years.

Culver credits much of the successes to the resiliency and determination that Iowans have shown in dealing with adversity, which have left him inspired and impressed, and to his supporting cast - administrators, Lt. Gov. Patty Judge, wife Mari and an army of volunteers, National Guardsmen and working Iowans - who pitched in to overcome some daunting challenges.

“I think we've been at our best during the worst of times,” he said. “I really think that these challenges have brought us together as a people.

“... I'm really proud of the fact that Iowans have responded in a way that has really set us apart from much of the country - both in terms of our flood-recovery efforts and our efforts to overcome the economic challenges,” he added. “We're not going to be knocked down permanently. We're getting up, and we're fighting back.”

Culver, a fifth-generation Iowan who followed his father into politics, has signaled a career change when he leaves office next month, expressing interest in landing a private-sector job in the renewable-energy industry or a CEO position.

“I'm really excited about getting involved in perhaps the most important issue of our time, and that's energy security in terms of my next, most immediate career opportunity,” he said, adding, “No matter what I do in the future, I will stay involved in public policy matters.”

He is not shutting the door on a return to public office, but “I can tell you that's not part of any immediate plan.”

Culver opened his governorship in January 2007 by calling on the people to come together as “one Iowa” to embark on a “21st-century Iowa expedition.”

He plans to close it with a Condition of the State address next month that will thank Iowans for giving him the opportunity to serve them and lawmakers for working with him, highlight some key accomplishments and wish the new leaders at the Capitol luck.

“I was a schoolteacher in the Des Moines public schools in 1997, and I had this dream of trying to make a difference and shape public policy and move Iowa forward, and it happened,” said Culver, who considers it a civic duty of everyone to run for public office at some level at some time in their lives.

“A lot of people along the way didn't think it would be possible to go from the classroom to the governor's office,” he said. “If I can do it, anyone can. I think I believe that more firmly today than ever.”