Published: November 23, 2009 08:35 am      

Report shows Iowa doing better than other states

The State of Iowa and many Iowans have experienced a rough year. However, as we head into the holidays, it is important to give thanks for what we do have — our families, our friends, and our determination to see that things get better.

As a state legislator, I know that we still face more tough decisions as we head into the next decade. Although 2010 will present many challenges, we should remember that it could be much worse.

In fact, a new Pew Center on the States report shows that Iowa is doing much better than other states. The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent, non-profit public policy group, founded in 1948. The Pew Center on the States is a department of the trusts, responsible for analyses of states’ public policies.

The Pew Center report shows that Iowa is considered the second best managed state in the nation. Only the state of Wyoming scored better than Iowa did.

The report also shows that some states are headed toward economic disaster. The report ranks the states based on their financial management and budget condition. Rankings were based on six factors, including foreclosure rates, joblessness, loss of state revenue, state budget gaps, balanced budgets and money-management practices. Iowa was given a score of 7 on a 30-point scale with 30 being very bad shape (California) and “1” being the best. Wyoming received a score of 6. In addition to the overall score, Iowa also received a B+ for its fiscal management.

Iowa has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. In addition, Iowa has seen one of the smallest changes in our unemployment rate. Iowa also has a 0.69 percent foreclosure rate, much lower than the national average of 1.37 percent.

Other nearby states listed among the 10 most likely facing economic peril are Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. To read the entire Pew report, you can go to the Web site at http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/.

State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald recently announced more good financial news for Iowa. Iowa’s I-JOBS financing has made the cut as one of the country’s best bond financings in 2009 by the Bond Buyer. The Bond Buyer is a premier new source dedicated to the municipal bond industry and is a daily newspaper for public finance.

Iowa submitted the $601 million I-JOBS bonds for recognition based upon the timely and innovative public purposes of the program, the new credit structure, and effective marketing to reach new investors. The I-JOBS financing secured bonds to help Iowa recover from the natural disasters of 2008 and preserve or create jobs. This recognition is just one more example of how respected Iowa’s financial decisions are viewed across the country. For more information on this award, visit the Bond Buyer’s Web site www.sourcemediaconferences.com/BBDeal09/.

These two examples show that we are doing things right in Iowa. We still face some difficult times, but it is sometimes good to know that impartial outsiders hold Iowa’s fiscal management in high regards.



Rep. Polly Bukta, D-Clinton, has been a member of the Iowa House of Representatives since 1997. She represents District 26, which covers part of Clinton County.