Branstad talks issues, run for governor

Terry Branstad says he learned from his mistakes, but Gov. Chet Culver and legislative Democrats have not.

Branstad, who says he will formally announce he's running for governor in January, dismissed a barrage of criticism from the Iowa Democratic Party Thursday, which claimed his current campaign contradicts his 16 years as governor.

“Someone needs to let Terry Branstad know that the cold temperatures make it a bad time of year for flip-flops in Iowa,” Democratic Chairman Michael Kiernan said Thursday.

In a conference call with reporters, Kiernan said Branstad's recent campaign remarks have repeatedly contradicted his actions as Iowa's longest-serving governor.

“The issues involved aren't small - they're significant policy decisions,” he said, referring specifically to the use of bonding and Road Use Tax Funds to pay for state troopers as well as eliminating federal deductibility from Iowa income taxes.

Branstad, who was in Cedar Rapids to address the Metro North Rotary, didn't defend using road funds to pay for the Iowa State Patrol for 11 years before ending the practice.

“It was a bad budgeting practice and it doesn't save any money,” he said. “Now Culver is advocating going back to that bad practice.”

Culver has proposed shifting the cost of the State Patrol - $250 million over five years - from the general fund to the road fund, much of which comes from the gas tax motorists pay.

Branstad noted he worked with then-Sen. Larry Murphy, D-Oelwein, a brother of current House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, to end the practice.

Kiernan also whacked Branstad for speaking out against bonding even though he bonded for $613 million in projects, including the Iowa Communication Networks and a new prison. Adjusted for inflation, Kiernan said, Branstad's bonding is nearly more than $1 billion – more than the $839 million I-JOBS bonding Culver has done.

Branstad defended targeted bonding, such as projects at the state universities, “but for the most part, it's not the way to do things and certainly not in a time of economic crisis like this.”

Branstad also recalled that he defeated two Democratic opponents - Lowell Junkins and Roxanne Conlin - who had big bonding plans.

“Indiscriminate borrowing is a recipe for trouble,” he said.

Despite the explanations, Kiernan said Iowans should find Branstad's position shifts troubling.

“I've learned from my mistakes,” Branstad responded. “Democrats don't seem to have learned those lessons.”