Culver looks to go FDR in Iowa

Gov. Chet Culver is touting an intriguing massive public works program in Iowa that he says the state can issue bonds to finance.

He thinks a combination of state money and federal stimulus funding could help Iowa develop a major infrastructure renewal -- that would in turn lead to more private investment in Iowa. We need to hear more specifics but the money would go heavily toward transportation and bread-and-butter needs. Here in rural Iowa we will be watching to see that this means more than just DSM and Cedar Rapids improvements.

One area where western Iowa, now flush with wind energy and ethanol and biodiesel, could get a boost is with public works that improve the efficient transfer of fuel and electricity from our region to the rest of the nation. Barack Obama has talked about this as well.

Here is The Des Moines Register:

Culver today emphasized that a major infrastructure program, partially paid by the federal government, could help rebound the state’s economy and build or improve such things as an electrical grid, telecommunication systems and railroads.