As 2013 comes to an end, we cap off a year that has pointed Iowa in the right direction on many fronts. We ensured more Iowans have access to good jobs, great communities, strong local schools and affordable health care—all while balancing the state budget without raising taxes.
These fiscally responsible investments in Iowa are paying off. Last week, the state’s nonpartisan Revenue Estimating Conference confirmed that Iowa’s economy is steadily growing. Our bipartisan effort to expand access to affordable health care—the Iowa Health & Wellness Plan—received a green light. And Iowa children are showing improvements in health, education and wellbeing, according to a new report from Kids Count.
This week, the nation’s leading wind power utility announced a major expansion in Iowa. MidAmerican Energy is buying hundreds of Iowa-built wind turbines from Siemens Energy to be installed on wind farms throughout the state. This clean, locally produced energy reduces our dependence on foreign oil, while creating good jobs and economic opportunities in our communities.
While 2013 is ending with lots of good news, there is more we can do to grow and strengthen Iowa’s middle class. Thousands of Iowans are still struggling to work their way out of the national recession. The number of Iowans in need of food has increased dramatically in recent years, and our state’s childhood poverty rate is climbing faster than the national average.
As we look to 2014, we’ll make sure we use Iowa’s resources wisely to build on our successes. You can expect to see another balanced state budget that invests in education, worker training and job creation.