Iowa Republicans credit Branstad with progress since he took office

DES MOINES – Iowa Republicans credited Governor Terry Branstad with progress and improvements in the state since he took office in January of 2011.

Iowa boasts a multi-million dollar surplus at this time and has been touted in the media as one of the few states where a split legislature can find comprimise.

According to Republicans, progress in Iowa under Gov. Terry Branstad includes:

-Signed the largest tax cut in Iowa history, providing an estimated $4.4 billion in savings to Iowa property tax payers over 10 years and $90 million in income tax savings annually.

-Signed transformational education reform that represents the largest investment in Iowa’s children and schools in the state’s history.

-Over $7.3 billion in economic development projects. These investments come from companies that include Facebook, Google, Microsoft, CF Industries, CJ Biosciences, Valent BioSciences, Lime Springs Beef, Pioneer and Cargill.

-More Iowans are employed right now than ever before. Since taking office, Branstad and Reynolds have created 160,600 jobs and Iowa’s unemployment rate is 4.8 percent.

-Signed the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan making Iowa a national leader for patient outcomes and quality of care for low income Iowans. The plan is designed to protect Iowans from federal budget cuts, increases the number of Iowans on private insurance and provides $48 million in property tax saving in the first year of implementation.

Branstad is gearing up for a re-election struggle, with new candidates popping up periodically. In what many say is a campaign fundraiser, Branstad will be hosting his own “Birthday Bash” on Saturday, November 16th The Palace Theater at Adventureland Park in Altoona, Iowa. Congressman Paul Ryan will be the special guest.