The newest addition to the 2006 gubernatorial race, Rep. Jim Nussle, R-Iowa, stressed the importance of economic development, education, cutting government spending and offering incentives to live in Iowa in his speech Thursday night.

Nussle’s speech to an audience of approximately 30 came on the second day of a 50-city tour after he announced his candidacy last Wednesday.

“I’m running for governor to provide the leadership we need to develop a vision for our great state — not a pie-in-the-sky political promise, but a down-to-earth view of what Iowa can become,” he said.

Nussle said he supported holding down taxes.

“I believe it’s your money, not the government’s money,” he said.

Nussle, who is chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee, said the current federal budget deficit is a product of the War on Terror and a response to the attacks of September 11.

“We’ve always run a deficit in war,” he said.

Nussle said unlike in past wars, the federal government is reducing the deficit, which he attributed to his work with President Bush as the chairman of the House Budget Committee.

He also stressed the importance of math and science education.

“Today, America is turning out kids who at their best are ranked 22nd in the world in the most important entrepreneurial fields of science and math,” Nussle said, adding this is not good enough. “I will provide the leadership that will allow Iowa to lead the world when it comes to science and math education.”

He also said economic development is a key to attracting and retaining Iowa residents, in particular stressing the importance of helping Iowa’s 75,000 businesses that employ 20 people or fewer.

He said government often stands in the way of economic growth.

“We all know Iowa hasn’t been growing much in the last 25 years,” Nussle said. “But there is something that has been growing in Iowa, and that’s government.”

He said government spending has increased 175 percent since 1980 and 10,000 new government positions have been created within the past 10 years. Nussle said the state is consuming resources better spent on education and public safety.

Democrats worry that Nussle’s focus on budget cuts could lead to decreases in funding for education, and described Nussle’s budgetary practices as being out of touch with Iowans.

Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames, said education funding represents approximately 60 percent of the state budget.

“If he’s going to make major cuts to the state budget, it has to come out of education,” he said.

Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, said an increase in education funding is necessary, pointing to the recent closings of two Ames elementary schools and recent tuition increases at Iowa State.

Quirmbach said Nussle’s endorsement of budget cuts is “the pot calling the kettle black”, pointing out that Nussle has been chairman of the House Budget Committee during the the recent increase in federal deficit spending, leading to the largest national debt in history.

“State government in Iowa doesn’t deficit spend,” said Rep. Lisa Heddens, D-Ames.

Quirmbach said at the beginning of Nussle’s term as chairman of the Budget Committee in 2001, the federal budget had a $128 billion surplus. In 2004, the budget had a $412 billion deficit.

Quirmbach said that only 37 percent of the cost of legislation enacted since 2001 has been for national defense, while nearly half is related to tax cuts.

Heddens said Nussle also proposed a 2006 federal budget with approximately $10 billion in cuts to the Medicaid program, which provides health insurance to people with low incomes.

Responses to Nussle’s speech ranged from positive to luke-warm.

“I’m just anxious to get to know what his politics are,” said Ames resident and Story County Auditor Mary Mosiman. “I like what I see so far.”

She said she liked Nussle’s emphasis on keeping people in Iowa and encouraging business development.

“I just think he’s got some good values, he seems like a good man,” said Albion resident Van McKibben. “He’s got alot of good ideas that need to be done.”