Flexing the Line-Item Veto Muscle

It is unfortunate that the Governor sided with bureaucrats and business as usual instead of the taxpayers and transparency this week when he used his line item veto authority on the budget this year. He struck cost saving measures that would have provided at least some transparency. While the Governor struck cost saving measures he did sign into law the largest budget in Iowa's history that leaves the taxpayer staring at a $900 million hole for next year, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Service Agency. This is reality and unfortunately the Governor and his Democratic allies at the Capitol this year stuck their collective heads in the sand like an ostrich hoping good times will come again. This is not a show of leadership skills but simply more political rhetoric and grandstanding from a group of politicians that have been warned for three years that their explosive spending was going to drive this state into the red yet they failed to listen.

There is a spending problem in this state and the Governor and his Democratic allies need a lesson in frugality as the taxpayer cannot afford more of the same old tired political games. Reform is needed and Republicans are ready and willing to lead that charge for the taxpayer to help protect their money from those that want to spend it on pork barrel projects and over $120 million in salary increases for state employees. Lets hope that someday common sense will win out.

Spend it While You Got it

Yesterday, State Auditor David Vaudt released his report on the growing revenue and spending problem the state is facing. Iowa will receive federal stimulus money that will, for one time only, helpt to alleviate the bleeding. But if Iowa continues at the current rate, in 2011, the budget will be 61% less than the previous year. That's huge!

Auditor Vaudt gave a good example: for every $1.00 brought into Iowa, the state spent $1.14. Doesn't seem like a lot, but boy does it add up. The bonding numbers are worse. For every $1.00 borrowed, Iowa will end up spending $2.18 to pay it back. How is this fiscal responsibility?

Here's the clincher - if spending would have been kept in line with inflation, Iowa would have had a 2% surplus this year! People need to speak up. Iowans will unfortunately feel the ramifications of this in their higher taxes and raised fees next year.

Swine Flu

The new, deadly virus has hit Iowa and hit it hard. Not only are there reported cases of the H1N1 virus throughout the state, today, China stated they would no longer accept Iowa pork exports. That is devastating news.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Bill Northey, released this statement: “Iowa pork, and all pork for that matter, is safe and China and the other countries that are banning pork imports are not acting based on science. It is unfortunate that these unjustified actions are being felt most dramatically by the farmers who raise pork. The industry has already been facing very difficult economics for the last several months, and this just adds to the difficulties experienced by Iowa’s pork producers.”

Why are we not hearing more state officials speak out on this? This has a huge affect on Iowa's economy and we can't do enough to correct misconceptions about the virus and Iowa pork.

Iowa Senate Republicans

The Fall of the Gavel

It is 5:42 a.m. on Sunday morning at the State Capitol and the end is here. The final bill of the session is on the Senate floor, the budget is balanced, Iowa has bonded and borrowed so much money that it is insane. The standings bill (pork barrel spending bill) passed and everyone is tired and cranky. Let's do it again next year!!