Senate Democrats

Week 3 Report – Jan. 14, 2009

 

 

·        Worsening national recession requires more belt tightening

·        Disaster relief for Iowans and communities

·        Investing in long-range economic growth

·        Student achievement on the rise in Iowa

·        Last year’s health care reforms are only a start

·        New Lottery games will extend progress on veterans issues

·        Maintaining ethical campaign finance laws

  

 

Worsening national recession requires more belt tightening

 

In this deepening national recession, Republican and Democratic legislators are working with Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge to write a fiscally responsible state budget.

 

I’d like your comments and suggestions for balancing the state budget, as we begin to see the national economy making an impact on Iowa.

 

The Legislature has worked in a bipartisan manner in the past few years to make Iowa a better place to live, work and raise a family.

 

We've made progress by:

·        Creating more good-paying jobs,

·        Making Iowa more energy independent,

·        Budgeting responsibly and putting our state’s fiscal house back in order,

·        Making health care for all Iowa children more affordable and accessible, and

·        Improving student achievement by keeping the best teachers in Iowa classrooms.

 

I’ll keep standing up for Iowa families and maintain the progress we’ve made in these areas. At the same time, I’ll work for fiscal responsibility, including eliminating wasteful or ineffective programs. I won’t raise taxes to balance the budget.

 

Despite worsening economic conditions, I will only support a sound, responsible state budget that protects the priorities of Iowans.

 

 

Disaster relief for Iowans and communities

 

This session is starting off with a great deal of focus on how we should pay for recovery and rebuilding after last summer’s floods and tornadoes. 

 

This week we approved $56 million, which will come from the state’s Economic Emergency Fund.  Because our budget is tight, our top priorities are helping displaced Iowans find housing and filling the gaps in federal funding. 

 

The recovery package includes $24 million for the JumpStart Housing Program, in addition to the $55 million provided earlier.  More Iowans will qualify for help because we’ve expanded eligibility.  These dollars can be used for forgivable loans for down payments, repairs, and mortgage assistance. 

 

An additional $22 million goes to cities and counties.  This money can be used for such purposes as small business and nonprofit assistance, housing replacement and rehabilitation, and public infrastructure needs.

 

Individuals and families will benefit from $10 million that will go to the Unmet Needs Disaster Grant program. Iowans can qualify for grants of up to $2,500 per household.  This money can be used for personal property, home repair, food assistance, mental health assistance, child care, and temporary housing.

 

The bill is now on its way to the Governor for his signature.  For more information on Iowa’s disaster recovery efforts, go to www.rio.iowa.gov. 

 

 

Investing in long-range economic growth

 

Creating more good-paying jobs across Iowa remains a top priority for all legislators.

 

This week, the Iowa Department of Economic Development showcased success stories during Innovation in Education Day at the Capitol.  The event gave me a glimpse of how Iowans are preparing our students to be the successful entrepreneurs and skilled workers of tomorrow.

 

The Innovation in Education program was sparked by a study of how our state can best pursue long-term economic growth. 

 

In the Legislature, we responded by voting in 2007 to:

·        Develop a skilled pool of Iowa workers,

·        Aggressively market Iowa’s employment and economic opportunities in advanced manufacturing, biosciences, and information technology, and

·        Create a statewide organization to help entrepreneurs develop their products and ideas. 

 

We committed $6.9 million a year until 2015 to reach these goals.  The Department of Economic Development is using that money for student competitions, internships, career awareness, prototype commercialization, community college equipment and training, industry networking and IT training. These endeavors are helping create a skilled workforce and high-quality jobs here in Iowa.

 

For more on Iowa’s Innovation & Commercialization efforts, go to www.iowalifechanging.com/business/innov&comm.html

 

 

Student achievement on the rise in Iowa

 

Student achievement is improving in Iowa’s K-12 schools according to the latest “Condition on Education in Iowa” report.  The annual report, which looks at the academic progress of Iowa students and other measures of school success, was presented to the Senate Education Committee this week.

The numbers show that Iowa continues its long-term trend of improved student achievement on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development.

 

For example, between 2001 and 2003, 75 percent of Iowa’s fourth-graders were proficient in math. That percentage increased to 80.5 for 2006-2008, which means nearly 2,000 fourth-graders statewide showed improvement.

 

In addition, fourth-, eighth- and 11th-graders have all improved their reading scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development.

Other highlights from the report include:

·        Iowa’s public school graduation rate for 2007 was 90.5 percent.

·        Iowa's average ACT score in 2008 increased to 22.4.

·        The percentage of Iowa school districts offering preschool increased to 76.6 percent last year.

·        80.5 percent of Iowa students enrolled in foreign language courses, 59.4 percent studied chemistry, and 37.1 percent took higher level math.

 

To review the full report on the Condition of Education in Iowa, go to www.iowa.gov/educate and click on “Education Statistics.”

 

 

Last year’s health care reforms are only a start

 

The Legislature approved landmark legislation last year to make health insurance available to all Iowa children by 2011. 

 

Keeping that commitment in tough times will require legislators to focus on the best interests of Iowa’s children, many of whom cannot get the health care they need.

 

Finding an Iowa child who is not getting proper health care is not hard to do. An Iowa mom visited the Statehouse this week to talk with legislators about her struggle to get health care for her three-month-old son. 

 

She is not alone.  Child health care advocates say it is not uncommon for Iowa parents of sick children to have difficulty obtaining necessary medical care.

 

The reforms that won overwhelming support last year were a big step in the right direction, but we must continue our efforts to make affordable, accessible health care available to all Iowans. 

 

By focusing on preventive care and early detection of problems, everybody stays healthier and everybody saves money.

 

 

New Lottery games will extend progress on veterans issues

 

The Iowa Veterans Council reported that the 2008 legislative session was “the most successful year for veterans in the Legislature since the 1950s.”  The Council is made up of several organizations, including the Marine Corps League, Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Disabled American Veterans.

 

While I’m proud of that success, I want to keep moving forward.

 

One action veterans especially appreciated is the new dedicated source of funds for the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund.  We authorized the Iowa Lottery to create two new instant-scratch games and two new pull-tab games each year.  All of the profits go to the Iowa Veterans Trust Fund. 

 

The first games were introduced in July, and the Lottery has already deposited nearly $1 million into the Fund.  This month the Lottery rolled out two new $1 games, “Land of Liberty” pull-tab and “Freedom Rings” instant-scratch.

 

The Iowa Veterans Trust Fund helps veterans pay for travel for medical care, job training or college tuition, unemployment assistance due to disability resulting from military service, benefits to the children of disabled or deceased veterans who served after 9/11, counseling programs, and other items.

 

To learn more about the Veterans Trust Fund, visit www.iowava.org.

 

 

Maintaining ethical campaign finance laws

 

The Senate State Government Committee voted this week to close a campaign finance loophole.  If this legislation becomes law, candidates will no longer be able to pay themselves, spouses or dependents from campaign funds.

 

The Legislature never intended for candidates to pay themselves a salary from campaign funds, and the new legislation would tighten campaign finance laws so the intent of the law can be enforced. 

 

Under this new legislation, family members could still be properly reimbursed for actual expenses incurred for campaign purposes.