Legislators like biotech idea, now must come up with money

Republican legislators like the idea of a half a billion dollar state fund to jump-start the biotech and life science industries in Iowa, but they’re unsure about the financing. Governor Tom Vilsack says the deal can be financed a variety of ways, by selling bonds for example. House Speaker Christopher Rants, a Republican from Sioux City, is receptive to the idea. Rants says legislators have 90 days to figure out the details. Senate Majority Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows, say it’ll take awhile to put any deal together. He says it’s not something they’ll rush out and do, but it is something they’ll take a look at.Iverson says they’ve “got to be very careful about how they go about it.” Iverson says “it’s too early to make any commitments right now” on the 500-million dollar “Iowa Values” fund.