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| Iowa 2010 News Release |
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August 12, 1999 DES MOINES, Iowa — Imagine it. The population of Iowa increases each year, making it the fastest growing state in the nation. The quality of life draws people to the state — jobs are plentiful, crime is low, the environment is clean. Iowa is once more the best-educated state in the nation, where college graduates put their knowledge to use in Iowa instead of taking it to another state. Technological excellence links Iowans to the rest of the world and fosters greater communication among citizens. Iowa farmers produce bountiful crops because of better farming methods and advances in agricultural processing. Tourists flock to Iowa to take advantage of the profusion of parks, lakes, sports arenas and shopping areas. These are Iowans’ ideas for the state. They are the kinds of ideas Gov. Tom Vilsack will consider as he builds a vision for Iowa in the year 2010. Iowa 2010 is a project of the Governor’s Strategic Planning Council. Building on Vilsack’s goal to involve every Iowan in shaping the state’s future, members of the Strategic Planning Council will seek ideas from Iowans during the State Fair on Aug. 16 and 17. The Iowa 2010 project is a planning effort to discover what Iowans value and how the state needs to evolve in the next 10 years and beyond. Comprised of 37 Iowans from a cross-section of the state, the Strategic Planning Council is gathering ideas to design a blueprint that will map a course from the Iowa of 1999 to the visionary Iowa of 2010. "With the new millennium rapidly approaching, there is no better time to engage Iowans in dialogue that will help shape our state’s future," said Vilsack. "Having the council at the Iowa State Fair allows members to reach out to citizens and listen to their ideas and dreams for the Iowa that is to be." Council members, wearing white polo shirts with an Iowa 2010 logo, are encouraging fairgoers to stop by the Governor’s booth in the Varied Industries Building and give their opinions on such topics as education, the economy and health care. Postcards will also be available for the public to mail their ideas on Iowa’s future directly to the Council. The Iowa State Fair is the first of many opportunities the public will have to interact with Council members. The public will also be invited to participate in 15 town meetings scheduled across the state throughout October and November. "We invite Iowans to share their ideas with us as we prepare a compelling plan to keep our children and grandchildren in Iowa, so we can guide our state into the 21st century," said David Oman, chair for the Governor’s Strategic Planning Council. The Council will take the public’s input generated over the next few months and draft it into a vision for the state. Once that draft is completed, Iowans will have the opportunity to make changes to it. The Council will then present the strategic plan to the Governor in June 2000. To learn more about Iowa 2010 visit the website: www.iowa2010.state.ia.us. Tell the Council your ideas for the state’s future by calling the toll-free number and leaving a message: 1-877-3IA-2010 (1-877-342-2010) or mail your ideas to: Governor’s Strategic Planning Council, 200 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309. |
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