Overwatered Garden of Eden : Gov. Branstad Visits L.A. to Promote Iowa Despite Flood Devastation

Even as his state continues to be battered by floodwaters, Iowa Gov. Terry E. Branstad visited the Los Angeles area on Thursday with a message: Iowa is still a paradise for California businesses. With the Mississippi River flooding continuing to cause billions of dollars in devastation in the Midwest, Branstad came on his sixth trip to California, meeting with about 150 Iowa natives and business leaders to sell them on the virtues of his state.

“Despite the adversity, Iowa is open for business,” Branstad said at a press conference in Santa Monica. “Yes, we’ve been facing a terrible natural disaster, but that hasn’t prevented us from moving forward.”

Sure, four-foot snow drifts in the winter cannot compete with the sandy shores of Southern California, but businesses will be operating in an economically friendly climate, he promises.

“We recognize that there are some advantages Southern California has in terms of weather,” he said “(But) Iowa is a very pro-business state.”

If anything, the current floods show the dedication of the people of Iowa, he pointed out: “Companies look for people who can face adversity.”

Although this time around his state might be a harder sell, Branstad looks at past successes for inspiration. So far he has lured about a dozen Southern California businesses to Iowa and some--like Rockwell International, which has eight locations employing 9,600 Iowans--have made major investments in his state, he says.

California and Iowa both have their share of nature-related woes. We have earthquakes, they have tornadoes. We have water shortages, they have floods.

But when it comes down to economics, the governor’s pitch is: Who wants to face California’s high workers’ compensation costs and high cost of living? Iowa will offer tax abatements, loans and dedicated people, he says, adding that the state’s education system, ranked highest in the country, speaks for itself.

While this might be one of the hardest times to ask businesses to see the bright side of Iowa, Branstad said he hopes that his visit shows businesses that the spirit in his state still remains strong:

“We just want to tell them that it’s a friendly place.”