Governor Vilsack says he’s not surprised by a Des Moines Register poll that shows Iowans support the cigarette tax increase and a change in sales tax, but aren’t happy with the job he’s done in education and with economic policy. He says there’s no question when you have to reduced resources to schools and are required by the federal government to tell schools that they’re failing, there’s no question that people should be dissatisfied with that. Vilsack, a democrat, says he’s taking the hit in the polls from delivering bad news.He says “we’re simply reporting the news, and sometimes those who report the news, you know, the messenger, often times has to pay the burden of the message.” Vilsack says part of the problem is the jobs that’ll be created by recent steps the state’s taken in economic development aren’t visible to Iowans yet. He says a year from now to 18 months from now, he thinks people will be satisfied with the steps the state has taken. he says that’s if we continue to fund education adequately, if we permanently fund the values fund, and if we expand the Vision Iowa Fund. Vilsack says the poll numbers make sense when you view them in context. He says the numbers are reflection of some difficult choices and decisions that people are not satisfied with. He says he doesn’t blame them, he’s not satisfied either. Vilsack says it’s “not about popularity, it’s about results.”
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