Week three of the legislative session is winding down as I write this newsletter. We have spent most of the week in committee meetings, one right after the other. In these meetings we hear presentations from departments and agencies all defending their budgets and justifying their projects. ...
The first week of session ended in legislators remaining at the Capitol on Friday. In recent memory, being in on Friday the first week is unprecedented. Because most legislators have other employment, Friday has always been the day they use to go back to their other job, and also use for ...
It is very difficult to understand the long-term impact of last Tuesday’s election in Massachusetts. The Senate seat, held by the late Sen. Kennedy for more than 46 years, is in one of the most “blue” states in this country. The perception of this election differs 180 degrees depending on ...
Greetings from the Capitol. Week two rolls along at a quickened pace. As you have spent this week slipping and sliding around, we have been doing the same in the statehouse. I appreciate the desire for a shorter session where we buckle down and get to work right off the bat. However, this ...
Change is coming to state government A major initiative to reorganize Iowa’s state government for the first time in almost 25 years was approved January 20 by the Senate’s State Government Committee. The State of Iowa must be smarter about spending your money. The changes in Senate ...
The 2010 session of the Iowa Legislature convenes this Monday, January 11. Throughout the session, we’ll focus on balancing the state budget without raising taxes, protecting education and health care, and pursuing opportunities to create good-paying jobs for Iowans and to help small ...
I know many Iowans are struggling these days. Families are tightening their belts, and concerns about jobs and the economy abound. The recent snow storms and cold spells have only added to the stress. I’m confident, however, that the sense of community I see among local Iowans will pull us ...
TAMA NEWS-HERALD - WHAT CHEER (SPECIAL) - Betty De Boef, state representative for district 76, announced that she has decided to seek her sixth term to the Iowa House of Representatives. “It is imperative, during these times of budget difficulties that the state of Iowa be represented by ...
I am working hard make sure that it won’t be business at usual at the Statehouse in 2010. The deepening national recession continues to hit Iowa’s large and small businesses, communities, families and state services. Despite successful efforts to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in ...
In response to the recent news regarding the failures in the state film tax program, and other recent revelations about some questionable budget practices, Iowa Republicans unveiled two legislative proposals Thursday they hope would provide more government transparency and accountability to ...