DES MOINES — President Bush continued his focus on domestic policy as he signed a bill promising more tax relief, while taking time out to attack Democratic challenger John Kerry’s plan to fight terror in dual visits to Iowa on Monday.

At a 90-minute town hall meeting held at the Seven Flags Event Center in Clive, Bush worked to distance himself from his opponent on domestic issues. He did, however, stop to criticize Kerry’s views on fighting terrorism as dangerous.

“The policies of my opponent are dangerous to world peace,” he said. “If they were implemented they would make this world not more peaceful, but more dangerous.”

The president reiterated previous points that the war in Iraq, which has been called a diversion, was important to the larger war on terror. He said former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had terrorist connections and had to be removed from office.

The president’s main business in Iowa was to sign a fourth tax relief bill, deemed the Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004, which promises more tax relief for more than 94 million Americans.

“The bill I sign today comes at the right time for America. Some of the tax provisions we’ve passed over the last three years were set to expire at the end of 2004,” Bush said. “Unless we acted, a family of four earning $40,000 would have seen their income taxes rise more than $900. That would have been a burden for working families all across America, and it would have been a step back for our economy.”

The relief bill, he said, would extend three previous tax cuts and save average Americans nearly $50 million in the coming year.

Bush credited Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, for helping the bill’s passage.

“Not so long ago, tax relief was just an idea. Today, tax relief is a reality,” Grassley said. “What a difference a tax-cutting president makes. When America’s economic tank ran low, George W. Bush understood how to prime the pump. His leadership on taxes has brought the economy around.”

Kerry campaign spokesman Phil Singer said in a release the new tax cuts were “tax breaks for his special interest friends.” Singer said Kerry has proposed a tax plan that would bring $419 billion in cuts for the middle class.

“John Kerry is proposing twice as much in new tax cuts for the middle class as George Bush is and will cut taxes for 98 percent of all Americans and 99 percent of all businesses,” Singer said.

Bush also joked around with Grassley by referring to recent ads by the veteran senator, which feature him on a riding mower with two smaller push-mowers behind him.

“Actually, I’m here for a different reason. The south lawn of the White House has a lot of grass; I’m looking for somebody to mow it,” Bush said. “And so, Mr. Chairman, you shall now be known as ‘Grass-mower’.”

— The Associated Press