Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced they will launch a series of town hall meetings beginning Feb. 21, as part of their “Jobs for Iowa” tour.

“We have put forward bold, innovative solutions for job creation in Iowa,” Branstad said in a press release. “In visiting every Iowa county, I know what job creators seek in order to expand or locate here. Our tour will allow us to meet and network with Iowans throughout the state over the next three weeks and discuss our plans for growing our economy.”

The Branstad-Reynolds jobs plan includes:
    – Cutting state corporate income tax rates in half; Iowa has the highest top rate in the country.
    –  Bringing the amount of commercial property valuation subject to taxes to 60 percent of value, down from the current 100 percent.
    – Remaking the Department of Economic Development into a 21st-century public-private partnership that works with businesses to create jobs.
    – A sunset of rules and regulations every four years to determine their effectiveness, and a jobs-impact statement with every new proposal that affects economic growth in Iowa.
    – Touring the country and world in search of new jobs for the state.
    
In Central Iowa, Branstad and Reynolds will hold a town hall meeting on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. at the West Des Moines City Hall, followed by a 2 p.m. meeting in Johnston at the Johnston Public Library.