Vilsack pushes funding for recreation and schools

Governor Vilsack will push to create a 300-million dollar state fund to finance school repairs and big-ticket entertainment complexes. Vilsack and some Republican legislators are on the same path in creating a fund to help finance sports arenas and cultural complexes. Vilsack and the G-O-P will tangle, however, over his proposal to dedicate 100-million dollars to school renovation and construction. Vilsack says with more counties passing local option sales taxes to finance school repairs, the state is in danger of a lawsuit charging students in rural counties aren’t getting the quality education their urban counterparts enjoy. He cites Polk County’s recent sales tax hike as the example.Vilsack also will ask legislators to develop a statewide land-use policy.Vilsack proposes a 350-thousand dollar “New Opportunities Fund” to help minority and disabled Iowans move into the work world.Vilsack says his new economic development proposals mark a fundamental shift in state policy. He says the 1980’s development focused on greating jobs for people while today the focus is on getting people to fill the jobs.