Ah yes, the Iowa General Assembly is back in session and here is a preview of things to come.
There’s enough money for Iowa lawmakers to keep the promises they made last year, even though “naysayers out there” are casting doubt, Democratic leaders said Monday, the first day of the Iowa Legislature’s 2008 session.
“I’m telling you that we will keep our commitments,” Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said. “You have my word on it.”
That includes increasing pay for teachers, expanding preschool, creating a fund to spur development of renewable energy, and providing more Iowans with health insurance, said Gronstal, a Democrat from Council Bluffs.
“Too often in the past dozen years, the Legislature has failed to keep its promises,” he said. “And when you fail to keep your promises, people wonder if you will ever do what you say you will do.”
Meanwhile, Republicans came out swinging, complaining that the Democrats won’t overhaul the state’s property tax system as promised, or cut taxes for low- and middle-income Iowans, prevent gay marriage, or protect the state’s highways and bridges from an incident like the collapse of the Interstate Highway 35W bridge in Minnesota.
Republican leaders said they’re worried, and they think the people of Iowa should be worried, too.
“Literally, all of government in the state of Iowa is under control of the Democrats,” said Ron Wieck, the Senate minority leader. He said it troubles him that the Democratic majority keeps proposing policies that are “anti-business, anti-growth, anti-student, and anti-job.”
Source: Des Moines Register
I predict a legislative season of virtually nothing positive being done. They may accomplish increasing taxes, oh joy!
