Iowa Governor Terry Branstad used his annual “Condition of the State” message Tuesday to make a strong pitch for a steady stream of state funding of water quality projects.
*
Branstad used the word “monumental” to describe his plan. He wants legislators to extend the state sales tax for school infrastructure projects and dedicate the inflationary growth expected in those tax collections to water quality initiatives.

Doing nothing, Branstad warned, is no longer an option when it comes to addressing water quality. Branstad says the state faces “unique issues” that cannot be addressed without a “bipartisan” approach.
*
Branstad today presented a seven-point-four BILLION dollar state budget plan to legislators. That’s two-point-three percent larger than the current year’s budget. Branstad’s extra spending would mostly be dedicated to the state’s education system and to the state-run Medicaid program which provides health care coverage to poor and disabled Iowans.