Greetings from under the Golden DomeThis is the second funnel week in the Iowa Legislature. In order for a bill to be eligible for further debate, it must be passed out of committee in the chamber it did not originate in. This means Senate files need to pass through a House Committee and House ...

The Apostle Paul understood probably better than anyone that the key to being a champion for Christ was to be surrendered to Christ and live the crucified life of yieldedness and obedience. Paul writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; ...

At my last routine checkup, my doctor brought in a physician's assistant who was 'in training' and there to observe. He stood there, scribbling, as I chatted about my insomnia, my diet, my stomach issues. I had to trust that he really was there to learn, maybe even add new information about ...

What do the infamous Watergate scandal and overwhelming regulatory burden on community banks have in common? "Follow the Money." Many of us remember this quip from the Watergate scandal. It was another way for "Deep Throat," the most famous source in American history, to say "connect the dots." ...

The Iowa Grocery Industry Association (IGIA) has announced its support of legislation SSB 3178, which will level the playing field and support local businesses. The legislation will require out-of-state online only retailers with a presence in the state to collect the same sales tax Iowa ...

Greetings from under the dome, If you've ever had to pull over on the shoulder of a busy highway, you know how dangerous it can be. High speeds and distracted drivers can be a dangerous combination on any road but if you need to fix a tire or wait for a tow truck, it can be deadly. It is never ...

Ever wondered "Why doesn't someone do something about ______ (fill in the blank) to improve my community?" Leadership programs give an individual the awareness, training, and networking to be that someone and take the lead to make it happen.Leaders are vital assets to communities and ...

When a city approves a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) zone, the property taxes collected are not divided between the city, county, and school districts Instead the increased (increment) revenue is all diverted to only the city which established the TIF. It was thought that by allowing the city ...

This next week is known as "funnel week", which means that those policy bills that involve funding need to be out of committee next week. Several important policy bills will be decided upon and begin the political process toward ultimate passage of both houses and the Governor's signature. ...

Greetings from under the dome, This week the Senate Transportation Committee passed Senate Study Bill 3141, more commonly referred to as the Gas Tax Bill. The bill would increase Iowa fuel tax by five cents in 2013 and five more cents in 2014. The bill specifies that the money collected from ...