Hi:
I had similar needs to you and decided upon a Surly Cross Check. It can do racks, is made of steel, and can take big fat tires if you are so inclined. I also looked at Kona Jake the Snake that looks like a good set-up (I decided on steel vs aluminum and conservative colouring vs dayglo) but I don't know if it is set-up for light touring.
There are a lot of good options out there but I have been really happy with the Surly so far.