Iowa Public Television

Borg: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOPS THE PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA, BUT WITH TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES, IT'S A CHALLENGE.   WE DISCUSS RURAL AND URBAN VITALIZATION WITH CHUCK HASSEBROOK OF THE CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS AND WITH RON CORBETT OF THE IOWA CHAMBER ALLIANCE ON THIS EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." 

 FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM  WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS,"  THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION...   GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THEY WATCH ON IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION. 

 AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION...   FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS,  AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS,  IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS  REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS;  AND BY THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF IOWA...   THE PUBLIC'S PARTNER IN BUILDING IOWA'S HIGHWAY, BRIDGE, AND MUNICIPAL UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

 ON STATEWIDE  IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION,  THIS IS THE FRIDAY,  JANUARY 3 EDITION  OF "IOWA PRESS."   HERE IS DEAN BORG.

Borg: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS THE CLARION CALL OF THE 2002 CAMPAIGN SEASON.   WITH THE ELECTION OVER, ONE WOULD THINK IT'S TIME TO MAKE GOOD ON THE CAMPAIGN RHETORIC...  OR IS IT?   BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES OF START-UP CASH FOR ENTERPRISE IS IN SHORT SUPPLY, AND THE CONCERN OF THE NATION'S ECONOMIC FUTURE REMAINS UNCERTAIN.   WELL, TODAY WE GET AN ASSESSMENT OF ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR PUMPING SOME LIFE INTO IOWA'S ECONOMY.   JOINING US ARE RON CORBETT OF CEDAR RAPIDS.   HE'S FORMER SPEAKER OF THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.   HE'S NOW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CEDAR RAPIDS AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.   HE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE IOWA CHAMBER ALLIANCE.   AND CHUCK HASSEBROOK IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR RURAL AFFAIRS IN WALTHILL, NEBRASKA, INVOLVED IN PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE.   GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO "IOWA PRESS." 

Hassebrook: GOOD TO BE HERE. 

Corbett: THANK YOU.

Borg: AND ACROSS THE  "IOWA PRESS" TABLE,  DAVID YEPSEN  -- HE'S A POLITICAL COLUMNIST WITH  "THE DES MOINES REGISTER" --  AND KAY HENDERSON IS NEWS DIRECTOR FOR "RADIO IOWA." 

Henderson: MR. CORBETT, LET'S BEGIN WITH AN ASSESSMENT OF THE MIDWEST ECONOMY.   HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE STRENGTH OR WEAKNESS OF IT? 

Corbett: WELL, I THINK THERE'S SOME SECTORS THAT ARE IN A RECOVERY MODE AND THERE ARE SOME SECTORS THAT ARE STILL VERY, VERY WEAK.   SO ALL IN ALL, WE'RE TREADING WATER, BUT I'M STILL OPTIMISTIC THAT THE MIDWEST WILL RECOVER ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, MAYBE NOT AS FAST AS WE HAD HOPED.   I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE TALKING MAYBE FIRST QUARTER OF 2003 OR SECOND QUARTER, BUT IT'S PROBABLY MORE THE THIRD OR FOURTH QUARTER OF 2003 AT THE EARLIEST. 

Henderson: MR. HASSEBROOK,  DO YOU AGREE? 

Hassebrook: I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.  AND, OF COURSE, MANY OF THE RURAL AREAS AND PARTICULARLY THE FARMING COMMUNITIES, A UNIQUE SITUATION:   THEY DID NOT FULLY SHARE IN THE BOON TIMES SO, WHILE THE LARGER ECONOMY WAS IN A GREAT ECONOMIC BOON, MANY OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AND DECLINE, SUFFERING SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER POVERTY RATES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN RURAL IOWA THAN IN METROPOLITAN IOWA.   AND SO THEY'RE BEARING THE BURDEN OF THE BAD TIMES BUT DIDN'T HAVE THE GOOD TIMES TO BUILD OFF THE WAY THE REST OF THE ECONOMY DID. 

Henderson: YOU TAKE A REGIONAL VIEW OF THE ECONOMY.   IS IOWA'S -- THE MIDWEST ECONOMY LAGGING THE REST OF THE NATION, OR HOW DO YOU SEE THE MIDWEST ECONOMY FUNCTIONING IN OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY?

Hassebrook: WELL, I THINK THAT THERE'S REALLY A SPLIT IN MUCH OF THE MIDWESTERN ECONOMY.  OUR METROPOLITAN AREAS HAVE BOOMED VERY MUCH RIGHT ALONG WITH THE NATIONAL ECONOMY.   WHAT WE'VE SEEN, THOUGH, IS A GROWING DISPARITY BETWEEN THE RURAL MIDWESTERN ECONOMY AND THE METROPOLITAN AND URBAN MIDWESTERN ECONOMY WITH THE SPLIT IN INCOMES, IN POVERTY LEVELS, AND ALL THOSE THINGS BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN BECOMING MUCH GREATER IN RECENT YEARS.

Henderson: MR. CORBETT, DO YOU SEE THE MIDWEST ECONOMY AS PERCOLATING ALONG AS WITH THE REST OF THE NATION, OR DO YOU SEE SOME TROUBLED SPOTS?

Corbett: I SEE US PERCOLATING ALONG.   WE'VE BEEN HIT PROBABLY MORE SO IN CEDAR RAPIDS FROM AN URBAN STANDPOINT THAN ANYBODY ELSE IN THE STATE.   OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS UP TO 4 PERCENT FROM A LOW OF 1.7.   WE'VE GOT A COUPLE MAJOR EMPLOYERS THAT HAVE CLOSED DOWN, AND OTHERS HAVE DONE SUBSTANTIAL JOB REDUCTIONS.   SO WE FEEL WE'VE BEEN HIT DISPROPORTIONATELY FROM A STATE STANDPOINT, BUT WE ALSO FEEL THAT WE'RE AT 4-PERCENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE WERE TWO YEARS AGO.   BUT THAT IS STILL WELL BELOW THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 6 PERCENT. 

Borg: IN THE LAYOFFS THERE, IS IT IOWA THAT'S AT FAULT, CEDAR RAPIDS AT FAULT, OR IS THE NATIONAL ECONOMY?

Corbett: NO, I THINK IT'S THE FACT THAT WE DIVERSIFIED OUR ECONOMY AND WE'RE HEAVY MANUFACTURING IS PROBABLY ONE REASON WE HAD MORE LAYOFFS THAN SOME OF THE OTHER URBAN AREAS.   BUT, YOU KNOW, A MAJOR EMPLOYER WAS MCLEOD COMMUNICATION, AND THAT WAS ALL PART OF THE COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY.   THAT'S NOTHING THAT THE GOVERNOR OF IOWA COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY, THE LEGISLATURE.   THAT WAS JUST THE COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY.   OUR LARGEST EMPLOYER IS ROCKWELL COLLINS.   THEY WERE HIT SUBSTANTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY SLOWDOWN.   AGAIN, THAT WAS NOTHING THAT THE LEGISLATURE OR THE GOVERNOR COULD HAVE DONE TO, YOU KNOW, REGENERATE BUSINESS IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.   BOTH OF THOSE COMPANIES HAD TO ADJUST TO THE CONDITIONS OF THEIR INDUSTRIES, AND WE WERE HURT BECAUSE WE HAVE THOSE BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY.

Henderson: MR. HASSEBROOK, AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU TAKE A REGIONAL VIEW, IS THERE ANY BIG BUGABOO IN IOWA THAT IS, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE TO OUR STATE OR ANY TRIUMPH HERE THAT YOU SEE IN OUR ECONOMY THAT IS NOT REPLICATED ELSEWHERE? 

Hassebrook: I DON'T SEE IOWA AS BEING THAT DIFFERENT THAN THE REGIONAL ECONOMY.  I THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY BY VIRTUE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE HISTORICALLY WHAT I CALL AGRICULTURALLY DEPENDENT COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES, COMMUNITIES WHERE -- PARTICULARLY IN WESTERN IOWA WHERE THE ECONOMY DIDN'T DIVERSIFY A LOT BEYOND AGRICULTURE.   AND THE KINDS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES THAT WORK IN THOSE COUNTIES ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE STRATEGIES THAT WORK ELSEWHERE.

Yepsen: MR. HASSEBROOK, YOU COME FROM NEBRASKA.   YOU LOOK AT THE RURAL ECONOMY ALL OVER THE PLACE.   HAS -- IS GLOBALIZATION A GOOD DEAL FOR RURAL AMERICA?   HAS NAFTA BEEN A GOOD DEAL FOR RURAL AMERICA?

Hassebrook: I THINK, IN GENERAL, IT HASN'T BEEN GREAT.  I MEAN ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE SEEING IS THAT COMMODITY PRICES HAVE JUST BEEN DEPRESSED, AND THEY'RE GETTING MORE DEPRESSED.   AND I DON'T THINK NAFTA HAS DONE ANYTHING TO CHANGE THAT.   IN SOME RESPECTS, I THINK WE FIND OURSELVES, PARTICULARLY IN THE MORE RURAL PARTS, IN THE KINDS OF JOBS WE HAVE OR THE KIND OF PLANTS WE HAVE, IN RELATIVELY LOW-SKILLED PLANTS LIKE MEATPACKING THAT ARE HAVING -- SEEING WAGE LEVELS FURTHER DEPRESSED BY GLOBALIZATION.   SO IT HASN'T BEEN A GREAT ECONOMIC BOON IN THE RURAL AREAS, THAT'S FOR SURE.

Yepsen: MR. CORBETT, THE SAME QUESTION. 

Corbett: NOT ALL VALUE-ADDED INDUSTRIES ARE LOWER PAYING LIKE MEATPACKING.  ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS IN OUR ECONOMY IN EASTERN IOWA HAS BEEN COMPANIES LIKE QUAKER OATS, GENERAL MILLS, ADM, CARGILL.   THEY CONTINUE TO REMAIN STRONG.   THEY CONTINUE TO INVEST CAPITAL IN UPGRADING THEIR FACILITIES, AND THEY PAY HIGH-WAGE JOBS.   WE HAD A SITUATION WITH QUAKER OATS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.   THEY WERE GOING THROUGH  AN ASSET ALLOCATION PLAN,  AND THEY WERE LOOKING AT  CEDAR RAPIDS;  GERMANTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA;  ST. JOE, MISSOURI.   FORTUNATELY FOR US IN IOWA, THE TOWN OF ST. JOE AND GERMANTOWN LOST.   THEIR FACILITIES WERE CLOSED DOWN AND SOME OF THOSE LINES WERE MOVED TO CEDAR RAPIDS.   YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED NEW JOBS WERE CREATED AND 2,000 PEOPLE STOOD IN LINE FOR THOSE JOBS THAT PAID $22, $23 AN HOUR WITH BENEFITS.   SO NOT ALL THE VALUE-ADDED JOBS ARE TO THE LOW END OF THE SCALE.   TRYING TO FOCUS ON THE HIGHER END IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

Yepsen: BUT CEDAR RAPIDS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE HAVE LOST MANUFACTURING JOBS.   I'M THINKING OF MAYTAG, AMANA, THAT HAVE MOVED TO MEXICO.   SO, MR. CORBETT, I GUESS THE QUESTION IS, I MEAN, ON BALANCE DO YOU THINK GLOBALIZATION, SPECIFICALLY THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, HAVE THOSE THINGS BEEN A GOOD DEAL FOR IOWA? 

Corbett: WELL, I THINK THAT YOU CAN OBVIOUSLY COME TO SOME SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF WHERE IT HASN'T AND SOME WHERE IT HAS.   GENERALLY I THINK IT'S BEEN GOOD FOR OUR COUNTRY AND GOOD FOR IOWA AS WE CONTINUE TO OPEN UP MORE MARKETS AND PRODUCE PRODUCTS THAT ARE SHIPPED ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Henderson: A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, PRESIDENT BUSH PUSHED THROUGH A TAX CUT.   EVERYBODY GOT A CHECK.   MR. HASSEBROOK, HAS THAT BEEN A STIMULUS TO THE ECONOMY, OR WOULD THE RECESSION HAVE BEEN DEEPER HAD WE NOT HAD THAT TAX CUT?   WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT?

Hassebrook: I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME SHORT-TERM STIMULUS VALUE THERE.   BUT I THINK THE CONCERN THAT I HAVE FOR THE ECONOMY LONG TERM IS THAT WAS NOT A SHORT-TERM TAX CUT.   THERE WERE LONG-TERM FEATURES IN THAT.   IT'S SERIOUSLY WORSENING FEDERAL DEFICITS.   IT'S REVERBERATING AT THE STATE LEVEL.   IN ALL OF THAT, WEAKENING OF OUR FISCAL HOUSE I THINK IS HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY.   AND IT'S PARTICULARLY HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT NOW WHEN THE STATES ARE BEING PUSHED INTO A FISCAL CRISIS AND THEY HAVE TO RESPOND.   AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE 46 IF NOT 50 STATES ALL CUTTING BUDGETS AT THE SAME TIME -- ALL CUTTING SPENDING AT THE SAME TIME.   AND THAT COULD END UP HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE ECONOMY.

Yepsen: MR. SPEAKER, SAME QUESTION TO YOU, WITH A LITTLE DIFFERENT SPIN ON IT THOUGH.   YOU WERE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE WHEN THE STATE OF IOWA PUSHED THROUGH THE LARGEST TAX CUT IN THE STATE'S HISTORY.   A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY TODAY THAT WAS A DUMB IDEA, THAT WE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT.   WHAT DO YOU THINK NOW IN HINDSIGHT?   WAS IT A GOOD IDEA  OR WAS IT A BAD IDEA?

Corbett: I THINK IT WAS STILL A GOOD IDEA AND WOULD ADVOCATE THAT AS BEING VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE AND THE STATE AS A WHOLE, EVEN AFTER THE TAX CUT REVENUE CONTINUED TO INCREASE.   AS EVERYONE SAID, IT'S THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY THAT HAS HURT REVENUES IN THE STATE OF IOWA.   AS YOU'VE SEEN GROWTH IN CORPORATE INCOME TAXES FALL OFF, THAT'S BEEN THE BIG FACTOR.   WE'VE SEEN SALES TAX CUTS, SO IF THE INCOME TAX WAS THE PROBLEM, WE WOULDN'T BE SEALING -- WE WOULDN'T BE SEEING THE TRAILING OF THE SALES TAX OR THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX LIKE WE HAVE.

Borg: IN THE SOFT ECONOMY,  WHICH HAS WON?   THE SOFT ECONOMY HAS CAUSED ECONOMIC DOWNTURN.   YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LAYOFFS, MR. CORBETT.   BUT ALSO, IT HAS LOWERED INTEREST RATES AS THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD TRIES TO STIMULATE AND PUMP SOME LIFE BACK.   HAVE THOSE LOW INTEREST RATES HELPED, OR WHAT'S THE BALANCE HERE ON THE TEETERTOTTER?

Corbett: WELL, THE STRANGE THING IS MOST BUSINESSES ARE PAYING DOWN THEIR DEBT AND, WHICH IS EXACTLY OPPOSITE OF WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT; WITH LOWER INTEREST RATES, THEY WOULD GO OUT AND BORROW MORE MONEY AND DO THEIR EXPANSIONS.   AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT.   WE HAVE COMPANIES THAT ARE PAYING DOWN THEIR DEBT, PUTTING THEIR BALANCE SHEET IN ORDER.   I THINK WHAT'S REALLY HOLDING PEOPLE OFF IS THIS UNCERTAINTY, NOT WHETHER THE ECONOMY IS GOING TO REBOUND IN THE FIRST OR SECOND QUARTER OR THE FOURTH QUARTER, BUT THIS WAR ISSUE AND WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO BE AT WAR, HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO BE, WHAT IT'S GOING TO -- YOU KNOW, THE EFFECTS OF THAT.   AND THAT UNCERTAINTY HAS EVERYBODY JUST HOLDING BACK ON THEIR EXPANSION PLANS.  WE KNOW SEVERAL EXPANSION PLANS ARE READY TO GO RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT UNCERTAINTY IS WHAT'S HOLDING PEOPLE BACK.   IN THE MEANTIME, EVERYBODY IS GETTING THEIR BALANCE SHEETS IN GOOD ORDER, AND WHEN THAT CLOUD IS REMOVED, I THINK PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE REAL AGGRESSIVE AND YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING SOME SUBSTANTIAL GROWTH.

Borg: MR. HASSEBROOK, WHAT ABOUT RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?   HAVE LOW INTERESTS RATES HELPED?

Hassebrook: I DON'T --  IT'S HARD TO SEE A LOT OF BENEFIT THERE.   LOW INTEREST RATES ARE A GOOD THING, ALL THINGS BEING CONSIDERED.   BUT WE'VE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS OUT THERE.  THE FARM ECONOMY IS SUFFERING FROM A LONG-TERM TREND WHERE A SMALLER AND SMALLER SHARE OF THE PROFIT IN THE FOOD SYSTEM IS GOING TO FARMERS AND RANCHERS.   AND WE REALLY HAVEN'T INVESTED IN DEVELOPING THE STRATEGIES TO TURN THOSE AREAS AROUND, THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO WORK IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY. 

Borg: ARE INVESTORS JUST A LITTLE SKITTISH ABOUT THE STABILITY OF INVESTING IN RURAL IOWA, FOR EXAMPLE? 

Hassebrook: OH, I THINK PEOPLE ARE.   I THINK THERE'S SKITTISHNESS ABOUT THE ECONOMY IN GENERAL.   THERE'S SO MANY UNCERTAINTIES --

Borg: BUT LAND PRICES ARE STABLE.

Hassebrook: LAND PRICES ARE STABLE BECAUSE WE'RE PUMPING A LOT OF MONEY INTO FARM PROGRAMS.   AND I THINK, IN FACT, WE'RE SEEING CONTINUING INCREASES IN LAND PRICES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WAY WE STRUCTURED FARM PROGRAMS.   WE'VE STRUCTURED FARM PROGRAMS TO SAY THE BIGGER AND RICHER YOU ARE, THE MORE MONEY YOU GET.   WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT FOR EVERY ACRE YOU ADD, YOU GET MORE MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SIMPLY BIDDING ALL OF THAT FARM PROGRAM PAYMENT INTO HIGHER LAND VALUES.   WHAT THAT MEANS AT THE END OF THE DAY IS IT'S NOT DOING ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THE INCOME OF FARM OPERATORS.   YOU CAN PARTICULARLY SEE IT IN CASH RENTS.

Yepsen: MR. HASSEBROOK, WE'RE IN THE MEDIA, SO WE ALWAYS DEAL WITH GLOOM AND DOOM, RIGHT?   I WANT TO MOVE ON TO THE SOLUTIONS, AND I WANT YOU TO WRITE SOME PRESCRIPTIONS.   SORT OF A TWO-PART QUESTION:   WHAT SHOULD THE CONGRESS DO AND WHAT SHOULD THE LEGISLATURE DO?   TAKE THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION.   WRITE SOME PRESCRIPTIONS FOR WHAT THE NEXT CONGRESS SHOULD DO TO HELP RURAL ECONOMIES.

Hassebrook: WELL, THE SIMPLEST THING THAT CONGRESS COULD DO TO HELP REVITALIZE THE FAMILY FARM SECTOR OF THE RURAL ECONOMY WOULD BE TO SIMPLY STOP SUBSIDIZING THE NATION'S LARGEST FARMS AND WEALTHIEST LANDOWNERS TO DRIVE THEIR NEIGHBORS OUT OF BUSINESS.   PUT A PAYMENT LIMITATION IN PLACE.   IT DOESN'T COST MONEY;  IT SAVES MONEY.   AND THEN YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE A FARM PROGRAM THAT WORKED TO STABILIZE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN MAKE A LIVING IN FARMING, AND IT WOULD STOP THIS TENDENCY TO BID EVERYTHING INTO HIGHER LAND VALUES SO THE PROGRAM ACTUALLY IMPROVED OPERATOR INCOME.   THAT'S ONE.  SECOND, I THINK WE NEED TO ADDRESS THE ACCESS TO FAIR AND COMPETITIVE MARKETS IN THE LIVESTOCK SECTORS.   HAVE REAL ENFORCEMENT --  PROHIBITIONS AGAINST PRICE DISCRIMINATION;  AGAINST MODEST-SIZED, INDEPENDENT LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS;  ENSURE A FAIR, COMPETITIVE MARKET OUT THERE;  AND THEN TAKE SOME OF THE MONEY YOU SAVE FOR THINGS LIKE PAYMENT LIMITATIONS AND REINVEST IT BACK IN SMALL, ENTREPRENEURIAL-LIKE TYPE DEVELOPMENT FOR FARM COMMUNITIES.

Yepsen: AND WHAT SHOULD THE IOWA LEGISLATURE DO?   WHAT SHOULD THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE DO TO HELP THE ECONOMIES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES?

Hassebrook: WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO START INVESTING IN THE TYPE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT WORKS IN THOSE AREAS, WHICH IS WHAT I'D CALL SMALL ENTREPRENEURSHIP.   LET ME USE NEBRASKA FOR AN EXAMPLE.   WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $2 BILLION OVER THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS ON TAX INCENTIVES TO LURE CORPORATIONS TO CREATE JOBS IN NEBRASKA.   FOR THE SAME PERIOD, WE HAVE NOT SPENT ONE PERCENT OF THAT AMOUNT TO DEVELOP SMALL-BUSINESSES AND VALUE-ADDED ENTERPRISES THAT SUPPORT THE TYPE OF BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN THE BACKBONE OF THE RURAL ECONOMY.   SO WE NEED TO --  FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK WE NEED TO START SETTING A POLICY SAYING THAT FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE INVEST IN CORPORATE JOB CREATION OR ATTRACTION INCENTIVES, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE BALANCE.   WE'RE GOING TO SAY FOR EVERY DOLLAR WE INVEST THERE, WE AT LEAST INVEST 30 OR 20 CENTS IN ENTREPRENEURIAL-TYPE DEVELOPMENT.   THAT MEANS SUPPORTING PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE TRAINING AND LOANS AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE STARTING BUSINESSES.   MAYBE IT MEANS SOME SMALL TAX -- SOME TAX INCENTIVES FOR PEOPLE TO INVEST IN STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS, MAYBE FARMING AND RANCHING.

Yepsen: MR. CORBETT, THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU.   WHAT SHOULD THE FEDS DO?   WHAT SHOULD THE LEGISLATURE DO?

Corbett: WELL, AS FAR AS THE FARM PAYMENTS, I THINK HAVING THE CAP IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.   I THINK FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, THERE ARE A COUPLE THINGS THAT I COULD SUGGEST, BUT IT'S MORE THAN JUST A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION.    I THINK SOME OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE SOME OWNERSHIP INTO THIS.   SO FROM THE LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE MORE MARKETING.   FOR THE STATE IN GENERAL, NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHO WE ARE AROUND THE COUNTRY.   WE'RE AT 2.9 MILLION PEOPLE, AND OUR MARKETING BUDGET FOR OUR STATE IS ABOUT $1.2 MILLION.   IT'S A PITTANCE AND WE HAVE A GREAT PRODUCT HERE TO SELL.  IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE TWO GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES IN THE LAST ELECTION SPENT $13 MILLION MARKETING THEIRS IDEAS, THEIR GOALS, THEIR VISION FOR THE STATE OF IOWA, BUT YET WE SPEND BARELY A MILLION MARKETING OURSELVES.   WHAT'S OUR PRODUCT?   A GREAT WORK FORCE,  WONDERFUL JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS,  SINGLE FACTORED CORPORATE INCOME TAX,  NO PROPERTY TAXES ON MACHINE OR EQUIPMENT.   WE HAVE A WHOLE LONG LIST OF THOSE.   BUT IF WE DON'T GET OUT AND TELL OUR STORY AND ADVERTISE, I THINK WE'RE MISSING THE BOAT.   THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO.   I THINK OUR LEGISLATURE NEEDS TO ENCOURAGE THE HUB-AND-SPOKE SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THIS STATE.   AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE A HUB, YOU LIKE IT.   IF YOU'RE A SPOKE,  YOU'RE GIVING UP SOME OF YOUR INDEPENDENCE.   BUT WE SEE THAT IN THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY.  CEDAR RAPIDS IS NOT A HUB.   WE'RE A SPOKE TO MINNEAPOLIS,  TO CHICAGO, ST. LOUIS,  AND THAT GIVES US ACCESS.   WE GIVE UP SOME OF OUR INDEPENDENCE BECAUSE WE RELY ON THAT, BUT IN THE LONG RUN WE BENEFIT.   AND I THINK SOME OF THE RURAL COMMUNITIES NEED TO REALIZE THAT THEY CAN BE SPOKES AND HOOK UP TO SOME OF THE LARGER URBAN AREAS WHERE THE BETTER PAYING JOBS ARE CREATED SO THEY CAN RAISE THEIR WAGE LEVELS.

Henderson: YOU'RE CALLING IT HUB AND SPOKE.   A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD CALL IT SORT OF A FISSION BETWEEN RURAL AND URBAN IOWA.   PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RURAL IOWA ARE JEALOUS OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN CEDAR RAPIDS AND DES MOINES AND SIOUX CITY AND PLACES LIKE THAT, WHERE THERE IS ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.   HOW DO YOU SOLVE THAT PROBLEM WHERE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RURAL AREAS AND YOU SAY THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE THAT THEY GET AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT FROM WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR TOWN?

Corbett: WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF SMALL TOWNS IN NORTHEASTERN IOWA THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER EITHER AS COMMUNITIES OR THEMSELVES AND PUT INCENTIVES TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE TO THEIR COMMUNITY.   THEY'VE GIVEN THEM A PROPERTY TAX INCENTIVE.   THEY'VE GIVEN THEM MAYBE A REBATE ON UTILITY BILL, SUBSIDIZATION OF DAY CARE.   AND THAT HAS INCENTIVES TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE.  THEY'RE NOT SAYING COME WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.   THEY'RE SAYING COME LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEN GET IN YOUR CAR AND DRIVE TO WATERLOO OR CEDAR RAPIDS OR DUBUQUE OR SOMEPLACE AND WORK.   AND I THINK THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DONE THAT HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL. 

Henderson: MR. HASSEBROOK, IS THE ANSWER TO THE RURAL/URBAN STRIFE TO MAKE RURAL TOWNS BEDROOM COMMUNITIES FOR LARGE --

Hassebrook: WELL, IT WORKS FOR SOME COMMUNITIES THAT ARE QUITE CLOSE IN, BUT IT'S NOT THE ANSWER TO ALL COMMUNITIES.   AND I DON'T THINK IT PROVIDES THE KIND OF VITALITY THAT MOST RURAL PEOPLE WANT IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY, WHERE YOU HAVE AN ECONOMIC BASE IN THAT COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE THE LOCAL ECONOMY TO A LARGE EXTENT DRIVEN BY LOCAL PEOPLE WITH LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES, OWNED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE A STAKE -- WHO NOW HAVE A STAKE IN THE FUTURE OF THAT COMMUNITY AND A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO IT SO THAT THEY CAN KIND OF SHAPE THEIR OWN FUTURE.

Henderson: WELL, IS THIS JUST A PROBLEM WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE;  PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THOSE PARTS OF THE URBAN AND THE RURAL FOLKS ARE JUST NEVER GOING TO GET ALONG, OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE SOLVED? 

Hassebrook: OH, I THINK RURAL AND URBAN PEOPLE CAN GET ALONG.   IN FACT, WE HAVE TO IF WE'RE GOING TO SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS.   BUT WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT SOMETIMES THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO FOR URBAN IOWA OR URBAN NEBRASKA ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THINGS WE NEED TO DO FOR THE RURAL COMMUNITIES, AND WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AND DO BOTH THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A FUTURE -- OR A STAKE IN OUR STATE.

Yepsen: MR. HASSEBROOK, YOU BOTH HAVE MENTIONED THIS LOCAL THING THAT LOCAL PEOPLE IN SMALL TOWNS SORT OF HAVE TO TAKE OWNERSHIP, I THINK WAS YOUR PHRASE, MR. CORBETT.   WHAT --  WHAT DO YOU --  HOW DO WE DO THAT?   HOW DO WE ACCOMPLISH --  HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE IN SMALL, RURAL TOWNS TO TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE, TO BECOME MORE ENTREPRENEURIAL, TO START THE LITTLE BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?  HOW DO WE GET THAT DONE? 

Hassebrook: WELL, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO, FOR ONE THING, LEND SOME SUPPORT TO IT.   ONE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN RURAL AMERICA TODAY IS DECLINING HOPE.   BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THE RATE OF PEOPLE STARTING SMALL BUSINESSES IS MUCH HIGHER IN RURAL IOWA THAN IT IS IN METROPOLITAN IOWA.   IT'S MUCH HIGHER IN RURAL NEBRASKA THAN IT IS IN METROPOLITAN NEBRASKA.   THERE IS A STRONG ENTREPRENEURIAL BENT.   THESE RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE LONG HAD MUCH HIGHER RATES OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT THAN OUR LARGER CENTERS.   SO THAT'S OUT THERE.   WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS START SUPPORTING IT AND PROVIDING SOME ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THAT.   WHY DON'T WE PROVIDE TAX INCENTIVES FOR THAT KIND OF NEW BUSINESS CREATION?   WE DO A LOT OF IT FOR CORPORATE JOB CREATION.   WHY DON'T WE FOCUS MORE OF OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES THERE? 

Corbett: I JUST KNOW FROM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MOST OF THE DEALS YOU PUT TOGETHER START LOCALLY AND THEN YOU GET THE STATE INVOLVED OR MAYBE SOMETIMES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.   AND I THINK WE'VE LOST THAT.   YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR LONG-STANDING INDUSTRY, MOST OF THEM WERE ALL STARTED BY FARMERS, YOU KNOW, MAYTAG, AMANA, JOHN DEERE.   THEY WERE THE ENTREPRENEUR OF THAT FARMER.   SO I THINK THE SPIRIT IS THERE.   IT MAY HAVE BEEN DORMANT BUT --  I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT THESE LOCAL COMMUNITIES;  I THINK IT HAS TO START, MAYBE, WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS THAT EACH COUNTY --  WE HAVE 99 OF THEM.   WHAT IS THEIR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT IS GOING TO STOP THE POPULATION DECLINE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES?   WHAT IS THEIR PLAN  TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF  THE FARM BILL IN THE  NEXT FIVE YEARS,  ET CETERA, ET CETERA.   AND GET THEM THINKING THAT THEY'RE AT THE TABLE AND NOT SITTING BACK WAITING FOR THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO SAY, "HERE'S A NEW FACTORY I JUST FOUND FOR YOU THAT'S GOING TO RELOCATE HERE." 

Yepsen: MR. HASSEBROOK, YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE STATE BOARD OF REGENTS IN NEBRASKA.   TALK ABOUT THE ROLE OF EDUCATION AND THE ROLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THIS WHOLE QUESTION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.   WHAT'S THE ROLE?   WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?   ARE THERE THINGS THAT UNIVERSITIES CAN BE DOING TO FOSTER A BETTER RURAL ECONOMY IN BOTH OUR STATES?

Hassebrook: YES, THERE ARE.   I'LL START OUT BY SAYING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES THAT A STATE CAN HAVE IN THIS DAY AND AGE IS A WELL-EDUCATED POPULATION.   THAT'S A GREAT ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE.   AND HAVING UNIVERSITIES THAT PROVIDE BROAD ACCESS FOR STUDENTS FROM LOW IN MODEST INCOME FAMILIES, ALL FAMILIES, IS A CRITICAL ECONOMIC ASSET.   THE OTHER IS, I THINK, THAT OUR UNIVERSITIES, PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS, CAN DO A LOT MORE TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURIAL DEVELOPMENT.   ONE OF THE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRICULTURE IS IN MOVING AWAY FROM JUST COMMODITY MARKETS AND PRODUCING PRODUCTS THAT ARE UNIQUE IN SOME FASHION THAT MAKES THEM WORTH MORE TO CONSUMERS, AND HELPING FARMERS DEVELOP THOSE PRODUCTS WITH PROVIDING THE KNOWLEDGE AND ASSISTANCE IN DEVELOPING MARKETS.   THE LEOPOLD CENTER AT IOWA STATE HAS DONE SOME VERY GOOD THINGS IN THAT REGARD IN REALLY PUTTING IOWA IN THE LEAD IN TAPPING SOME OF THE HIGH-VALUE MARKETS FOR PORK RAISED IN ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND OR HUMANE OR WHATEVER WAYS.   AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT STRATEGY THAT, IN THIS CASE, IOWA HAS BEEN VERY WELL SERVED BY THE LEOPOLD CENTER.

Henderson: MR. CORBETT MENTIONED THAT COUNTY BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD COME UP WITH WAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE DEVELOPMENT ASPECTS OF THE FARM BILL.   ARE THERE WAYS THAT SMALL COMMUNITIES CAN GROW BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE FARM BILL?   YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME CHANGES YOU'D LIKE TO SEE, BUT IS THERE A BENEFIT FROM THIS PRESENT FARM BILL?

Hassebrook: I THINK THERE'S A NUMBER OF GOOD PROVISIONS IN THIS FARM BILL.   ONE IS THE NEW VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE PROGRAM WHERE THE LIFE OF THE FARM BILL WILL PROVIDE A QUARTER MILLION -- EXCUSE ME, A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT VALUE-ADDED INITIATIVES.   AND THAT'S GOING TO GO INTO ALL KINDS OF ACTIVITIES FROM BUILDING COOPERATIVELY OWNED PROCESSING PLANTS TO HELPING FARMERS FORM COOPERATIVES TO MARKET THINGS LIKE NATURAL MEATS OR ORGANIC PRODUCTS THAT WILL FETCH A REAL PREMIUM IN THE MARKET.   I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

Yepsen: MR. CORBETT, YOU MENTIONED THAT SAME THING EARLIER.  WHAT SHOULD LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN IOWA BE DOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS FARM BILL?   I MEAN, THERE ARE THINGS IN THERE THAT SENATOR HARKIN AND OTHERS PUT IN THAT TO TRY TO HELP SMALL COMMUNITIES.   IF I'M A MEMBER OF THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN SOME IOWA COUNTY WATCHING THIS PROGRAM TODAY, WHAT SHOULD I DO TOMORROW MORNING TO START TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT?

Corbett: WELL, I THINK FIRST OF ALL, BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH WHAT'S IN THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION AND WHAT COUNTIES QUALIFY FOR THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THERE'S SOME THRESHOLDS AND SOME MEDIAN.  SIMILAR TO WHAT HAPPENED WITH VISION IOWA.   YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE PASSED VISION IOWA AND THEN PEOPLE STARTED GETTING INTRIGUED BY THIS:   "WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO TO ACCESS VISION IOWA MONEY OR COMMUNITY ATTRACTION AND TOURISM MONEY," AND EVERYBODY WENT TO WORK.   SO THE SAME PHILOSOPHY CAN BE TAKEN ON THE FARM BILL.   AND I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT DAVID SAID.   BUT AGAIN, WE CAN HAVE THE LOWEST CRIME RATE, THE BEST EDUCATED WORK FORCE, WE CAN HAVE COMPETITIVE INSURANCE RATES, BUT IF WE AREN'T TELLING THE REST OF THE WORLD ABOUT IT AND PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO RELOCATE HERE, WE'RE JUST SPEAKING AROUND THE TABLE.

Yepsen: MR. CORBETT, ONE OF THE THINGS -- THE IOWA CHAMBER ALLIANCE REPRESENTS THE LARGEST COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE, THE CHAMBERS OF THE LARGEST COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE.   AND YOU HAVE GONE TO THE LEGISLATURE ASKING THAT THE ROAD FUND -- THE DISTRIBUTION OF IT BE CHANGED TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO CITY ROADS AND MORE MONEY INTO STATE HIGHWAYS AT THE EXPENSE OF SMALL, RURAL ROADS.   RURAL LEGISLATORS SAY THAT IDEA IS DEAD.   NOW, YOU'RE AN OLD SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE AND YOU'VE COUNTED VOTES UP THERE.   WHAT'S THE MIDDLE GROUND?   WHAT'S YOUR FALLBACK POSITION?  WHAT'S THE COMPROMISE?   HOW DO YOU GET THIS TO A WIN-WIN SITUATION?

Corbett: WELL, I THINK IT CAN BE A WIN-WIN SITUATION.   I TAKE LINN COUNTY, AND YOU LOOK WEST OF LINN COUNTY IS BENTON COUNTY.   IT'S POPULATION GREW FASTER THAN THE COUNTY EAST OF US, WHICH IS CEDAR COUNTY.   IF YOU LOOK AT IT ON PAPER, IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE FOR CEDAR COUNTY TO GROW BECAUSE THEY'RE CLOSER TO DAVENPORT AND DUBUQUE, BUT BENTON COUNTY WEST GREW MORE.   WHY?   BECAUSE HIGHWAY 30 IS FOUR-LANED ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY INTO THAT COUNTY, SO THOSE PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THE SMALL-TOWN QUALITY OF LIFE, GET ON HIGHWAY 30, AND BE INTO CEDAR RAPIDS IN TEN, FIFTEEN MINUTES WORKING AT THEIR JOB.   IT'S NOT FOUR-LANED INTO CEDAR COUNTY.   SO IF THE RURAL RESIDENTS WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO BETTER PAYING JOBS, THEN I DON'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE LINKED UP BY HAVING GOOD ROADS.   I DON'T SEE THAT AS ANTI-RURAL.   I SEE THAT AS PRO-RURAL.

Borg: MR. HASSEBROOK, IS CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT IN AGRICULTURE GOOD FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE RURAL AREAS?

Hassebrook: NO, IT'S NOT,  PARTICULARLY CORPORATE INVOLVEMENT IN PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE.   WE'VE LOOKED AT A LOT OF THE RESEARCH ON THIS, AND I'M ALWAYS REMINDED OF THE STATEMENT BY A RESEARCHER WHO -- DEAN MECCANO, A SOCIOLOGIST WHO STUDIED ALL THE RESEARCH THAT HAD BEEN DONE.   AND THERE'S ONE SENTENCE IN THIS REPORT:   HE SAID ALL THE SERIOUS STUDIES REACH THE SAME CONCLUSION, AND THAT IS THAT COMMUNITIES SURROUNDED BY FARMS LARGER THAN A FAMILY UNIT CAN OPERATE HAVE A FEW WEALTHY ELITES, THE MAJORITY OF POOR LABORERS, AND VIRTUALLY NO MIDDLE CLASS.   AND THAT'S NOT PROGRESS.  THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR COMMUNITIES.

Yepsen: MR. CORBETT, WE'VE GOT ABOUT THIRTY SECONDS LEFT.   AND I WANT TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.   ARE YOU GOING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR IN FOUR YEARS?

Corbett: NO, I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

Yepsen: YOU'VE BEEN MENTIONED AS A CANDIDATE BEFORE.

Corbett: BUT I HAVE NO INTENTIONS OF RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

Yepsen: MR. HASSEBROOK, IS NEBRASKA'S FOOTBALL TEAM EVER GOING TO GET ANY BETTER? 

Hassebrook: OH, I HOPE SO.   [ LAUGHTER ]

Yepsen: AS AN IOWA STATE FAN,  WE DON'T LIKE THAT. 

Hassebrook: IF NOT, I WON'T BE RUNNING FOR REGENTS IN FOUR YEARS.

Borg: THAT'S A SURPRISE QUESTION.   I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU WERE GOING TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR.   EQUALS.   THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING OUR GUESTS TODAY.   WELL, AS ACTIVITY PICKS UP IN AND AROUND THE IOWA STATEHOUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW YEAR, WE LEAVE YOU NOW WITH A COUPLE OF PROGRAM REMINDERS.   GOVERNOR VILSACK PRESENTS HIS PRIORITIES IN HIS 2003 CONDITION OF THE STATE ADDRESS ONE DAY AFTER THE OPENING OF THE 80TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.   IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION WILL BE THERE LIVE AT 10 IN THE MORNING FROM THE IOWA STATEHOUSE, AND THE PROGRAM WILL BE REBROADCAST AT 6:30 THAT EVENING.   THAT'S TUESDAY, JANUARY 14,  FOR THE CONDITION OF THE STATE ADDRESS.   AND THEN ON FRIDAY  -- THAT'S THE FIRST WEEK IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AGAIN --  IT'S THE INAUGURAL OF 2003 AS GOVERNOR TOM VILSACK AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SALLY PEDERSON TAKE OATHS OF OFFICE FOR SECOND FOUR-YEAR TERMS.   INAUGURAL ACTIVITIES COMING TO YOU LIVE FROM DRAKE UNIVERSITY'S KNAPP CENTER AT 9.30 IN THE MORNING, REBROADCAST AT 9 THAT NIGHT ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 17.  WELL, THAT'S IT  FOR THIS WEEK'S EDITION  OF "IOWA PRESS."   FROM ALL OF US HERE AT  IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION,  A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU.   I'M DEAN BORG.  THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM  WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS,"  THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION...   GENERATIONS OF FAMILIES AND FRIENDS WHO FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT THE PROGRAMS THEY WATCH ON IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION;

AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION...   FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS,  AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS,  IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS  REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS;  AND BY THE ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF IOWA...   THE PUBLIC'S PARTNER IN BUILDING IOWA'S HIGHWAY, BRIDGE, AND MUNICIPAL UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.