Even though our governor has gone on record, repeatedly, against this issue, it looks like it's sticking around. Need to make up that deficit (yes, it is a deficit, despite what some may tell you) somehow. Maybe we'll see some party fireworks in the near future.....
http://tinyurl.com/apo89o
Friday, January 30, 2009
Seen Around the Capitol This Week
Senator James Hahn (R-Muscatine) talking to Community College students.
Senator Shawn Hamerlinck (R-Davenport) talks with a Davenport group.
Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) at his weekly press conference.
Senator David Johnson (R-Ocheyedan) talks with NW Iowa Community College students.
Herd at the Capitol today: "I can't find where my Twitter is."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Lets Talk Turkey
The Governor’s budget went public this week and people at the Capitol are still trying to wrap their brains around it all. Before we jump into the details lets keep in mind that legislative Democrats are the ones who spent Iowa into this mess. They are quick to blame ole George W. Bush on the woes of economy and getting us in this economic mess, but so we’re clear, the Democrats in Iowa have been spending money like it is going out of style. For every dollar taken in, they’ve spent $1.50. At that rate, it’s no wonder we need to dip into our reserve funds and the 6.5% cut the Big Lug is proposing is the tip of the iceberg.
The Governor’s budget eliminates the following seven funds:
Senior Living Trust Fund, Healthy Iowans Tobacco Trust, Crime Victim Compensation, Attorney General’s Forfeiture Fund, Property Tax Credit Fund, Gambler’s Treatment Fund, Child Care Tax Credit Fund
He’s increasing spending by 2.4% or $147.7 million. Total General Fund expenditures: $6.211 billion for FY 2010. Someone explain to us how all this talk of tightening belts and doing more with less fits into this spending increase.
He’s shifting funds around: $200 million from reserves, $6.5 from the Gambler Assistance Fund (then he’ll eliminate it) and $10 million from the Federal Economic Stimulus and Job Handling Fund. Shifting monies does not mean replenishment will ever happen.
He also doesn’t want to give Medicaid as much money as last year. $22.9 million less to be exact.
The Governor is banking on the feds handing us money from the economic stimulus package which is fine, but we can’t do this every year, so lets not get used to it.
Here is a tribute to what we all wish for, even governors:
http://tinyurl.com/9jlkde
The Governor’s budget eliminates the following seven funds:
Senior Living Trust Fund, Healthy Iowans Tobacco Trust, Crime Victim Compensation, Attorney General’s Forfeiture Fund, Property Tax Credit Fund, Gambler’s Treatment Fund, Child Care Tax Credit Fund
He’s increasing spending by 2.4% or $147.7 million. Total General Fund expenditures: $6.211 billion for FY 2010. Someone explain to us how all this talk of tightening belts and doing more with less fits into this spending increase.
He’s shifting funds around: $200 million from reserves, $6.5 from the Gambler Assistance Fund (then he’ll eliminate it) and $10 million from the Federal Economic Stimulus and Job Handling Fund. Shifting monies does not mean replenishment will ever happen.
He also doesn’t want to give Medicaid as much money as last year. $22.9 million less to be exact.
The Governor is banking on the feds handing us money from the economic stimulus package which is fine, but we can’t do this every year, so lets not get used to it.
Here is a tribute to what we all wish for, even governors:
http://tinyurl.com/9jlkde
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
The Flood Bill Breakdown – What you won’t hear
One of the first major bills of this legislative session just passed in the Senate. HF 64 takes $56 million from Iowa’s reserve funds and puts it toward disaster relief. Here’s the breakdown: $10 million going towards individuals affected by flooding. Residents may apply for grants of up to $2,500 going toward replacing lost personal items. The bill also devotes $24 million total in the form of forgivable housing loans for housing assistance and the final piece of the bill is $22 million total available in the form of grants to assist local municipalities.
A big part of this bill is the establishment of the Rebuild Iowa Office. The office was established after the floods and has been borrowing staff from other departments. This bill puts in place 32 full time employees through this office with no end in sight as to when the office will disband. Seeing as this was a 500 year flood, you’d think it would be reasonable to assume that Iowa could use the office, get rid of it and not see it for another 50 years. Not so, the bill sets it up into perpetuity.
The office will be charged with finding “innovative” financing alternatives. Take that for what you will.
What about any left over money? It is possible. Senate Republicans offered and amendment that would require leftovers to go towards small businesses since they get the short end of the stick on this issue. It was voted down.
Another strenuous point in the bill is the $2,500 for individual assistance. No stipulations other than to get it, you have to be affected by the floods. The money will come in the form of voucher debit cards. This is ripe for abuse as we all know from Hurricane Katrina.
We still don’t know a dollar amount of the damage statewide. No one seems to want to cough up the numbers. You’d think that might be important when talking about funding something. There are still millions of dollars sitting in the RIO coughers (from the feds) waiting to get into the hands of Iowans.
Regardless of what you think of the bill, victims have waited a long time to get some relief from the state. It could have happened much sooner and hopefully all the bureaucracy written into the bill can easily be weeded through so those in need came pull through. I guess we’ll wait and see how it all unfolds.
A big part of this bill is the establishment of the Rebuild Iowa Office. The office was established after the floods and has been borrowing staff from other departments. This bill puts in place 32 full time employees through this office with no end in sight as to when the office will disband. Seeing as this was a 500 year flood, you’d think it would be reasonable to assume that Iowa could use the office, get rid of it and not see it for another 50 years. Not so, the bill sets it up into perpetuity.
The office will be charged with finding “innovative” financing alternatives. Take that for what you will.
What about any left over money? It is possible. Senate Republicans offered and amendment that would require leftovers to go towards small businesses since they get the short end of the stick on this issue. It was voted down.
Another strenuous point in the bill is the $2,500 for individual assistance. No stipulations other than to get it, you have to be affected by the floods. The money will come in the form of voucher debit cards. This is ripe for abuse as we all know from Hurricane Katrina.
We still don’t know a dollar amount of the damage statewide. No one seems to want to cough up the numbers. You’d think that might be important when talking about funding something. There are still millions of dollars sitting in the RIO coughers (from the feds) waiting to get into the hands of Iowans.
Regardless of what you think of the bill, victims have waited a long time to get some relief from the state. It could have happened much sooner and hopefully all the bureaucracy written into the bill can easily be weeded through so those in need came pull through. I guess we’ll wait and see how it all unfolds.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Small Towns Get the Shaft
The Local Option Sales Tax bill passed in the Senate tonight. It would mean areas hit by disasters can expedite the referendum process by giving the residents of disaster areas the power to vote on imposing a tax to help meet local needs, not necessarily flood relief.
If this is for flood damage, why are they making it so hard for small towns that were impacted by the flood to get this money?
Small towns will have to pool with larger towns to get in on the action. Since the process is expedited from 120 days down to 30, these smaller downs won’t have enough time to get their resources together. Why should small towns have less ability to apply for flood relief damage?
This tax allows Polk, Johnson and Linn to help themselves to this tax. And besides, why do we want to tax these areas hit hardest by flooding? Since when do taxes ease any sort of burden?
It was herd during debate from the Democrats that this money is not restricted to flood relief in any way. So that means that since the tax doesn’t sunset the money can be used for who knows what next year? Can anyone say Project Destiny?
If this is for flood damage, why are they making it so hard for small towns that were impacted by the flood to get this money?
Small towns will have to pool with larger towns to get in on the action. Since the process is expedited from 120 days down to 30, these smaller downs won’t have enough time to get their resources together. Why should small towns have less ability to apply for flood relief damage?
This tax allows Polk, Johnson and Linn to help themselves to this tax. And besides, why do we want to tax these areas hit hardest by flooding? Since when do taxes ease any sort of burden?
It was herd during debate from the Democrats that this money is not restricted to flood relief in any way. So that means that since the tax doesn’t sunset the money can be used for who knows what next year? Can anyone say Project Destiny?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
