Changing the corporate tax structure, making health care affordable and accessible to all Iowans, increasing the deposit on containers and expanding it to bottled water, juice and energy drinks, and setting a renewable energy standard are among the top priorities Gov. Chet Culver announced in his Condition of the State address today.

Overall, he said, “the condition of our state is strong,” citing Iowa’s $600 million in cash reserves, the largest in state history, and its booming bioeconomy as evidence. He claimed the biofuels industry has invested $8 million in Iowa’s economy and created or supported more than 50,000 new jobs. Iowa also is now one of two states in the nation that manufactures three major components of a windmill, he said, and more than $20 billion in wind projects are projected within a 600-mile radius of Iowa over the next seven years.

“I believe our goals this session are simple – protect our priorities, balance the budget and address some unmet needs,” Culver said. “Our budget must reflect our commitment to protect the new initiatives we launched last session.”

Among the initiatives passed last year that remain a priority, he said, are the Iowa Power Fund, higher teacher salaries, more funding for higher education and expanding early childhood education.

“The budget I’m proposing,” he said, “allows us to keep our promises. It also protects our priorities, identifies a few new revenue sources and fully funds our cash reserves.”

For the complete speech, go to http://www.governor.iowa.gov/news/2008/01/15_1.php.