HOUSE TO HOUSE

By Representative Polly Granzow

 

“The End is Near”

 

April 22 was the last paid day for legislators.  The last week of session is always tough to find compromises, but this week was especially contentious.  The session exceeded the limit by four days.  Hefty appropriations bills were left to the last and exceeded their targets.  Health and Human Services is $7 million over, Economic Development is $7 million over, Justice is $7.5 million over, Education is $14 million over, and Administration and Regulation is $600,000 over, a total of $36 million.  Ironically, that is the additional amount the Revenue Estimating Council added to the year’s estimate in April.  The Code directs the legislature to use the December estimate.  Instead of applying the additional revenue for tax relief for Iowans, the majority party chose to spend all of it.  I have not been able to vote for these increases.  The total budget has now reached an increase of $908 million in two years for a 17% increase. 

 

“Teacher Pay”

 

I offered an amendment to determine the 44 teachers at the institutions are actually called teachers so they would be eligible for a teacher pay increase that all public and AEA teachers receive.  It was defeated by a partisan vote.    Last year an additional $75 million was appropriated for salaries and another $75 million this year.  These 44 teachers at Eldora, Toledo, Cherokee and Independence will not be in the mix.  They deal with some of the most difficult youth from all parts of the state and deserve the same rights.

 

“One-legged stool”

 

The three-legged stool including standards, assessments, and core curriculum in the education bill that passed the House, went to the Senate and bounced back.  The Senate stripped out standards and assessments, two legs of the stool, and the most important features of student achievement, leaving the bill with one leg; core curriculum.  I voted against the Senate version, but it passed on a partisan vote.

 

“Bonding for a new prison”

 

The last bill, the Standings bill, includes bonding for a new prison at Fort Madison.  The Republicans argued vehemently against bonding instead of budgeting from the General Fund.  The issue of a new prison was never discussed in committee or on the floor.  The decision was made to put it on an appropriations bill the last day of session.  This is another example of making decisions without any public or legislative input.

 

The Collective Bargaining bill was released by Senator Gronstal and sent to Governor Culver’s desk.  He has thirty days to sign it, veto it, or do nothing.  This is the bill that drastically changes negotiating for all public bodies and takes control away from local Boards.

 

Visitors:  West Marshall 5^th graders, Harlan Quick, State Center council to hear the resolution for State Center’s 50^th anniversary of the Rose Festival,  and BCLUW civics class with Josh Ehn.

 

I will continue to inform you of bills that passed and signed by the Governor.  As always, you can contact me at polly.granzow@legis.state.ia.us or at 641-858-5210

 

(I am writing this at 2:00 a.m. Saturday April 26, before “sine die”)