Gov Terry Branstad used a broad brush in his State of the State address Tuesday morning, speaking in general terms of progress made in the past year and of his goals for the 2014 legislative session.
He named only one county specifically, Lee County in southeast Iowa. He named only five cities- Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls and Marion.
He named only two small town festivals, and one of them was Jefferson’s Bell Tower Festival.
Early in his speech, Branstad spoke of the “Iowa Dream,” “that dream of opportunity and prosperity which can become a reality for every Iowan willing to work for it.”
Later in the speech, he said, “To keep the Iowa Dream alive, we must keep rural Iowa vibrant and working. As I visit communities throughout our state during my annual 99 county tour, this vibrancy is seen, felt and heard.
“From the enjoyment experienced at Watermelon Day in Stanhope, the Bell Tower Festival in Jefferson, and at the Swamp-Fox Festival in Marion. To the early morning farmers markets, and the Rotary Clubs at noon, day-to-day life reflects our shared Iowa values.”
Branstad concluded his State of the State address encouraging governments to use technology for greater transparency and accountability, and to move Iowa forward to increase its competitiveness and that of its residents.
