On the Iowa Legislative Forum Trail
by Paul Deaton
This morning, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Iowa hosted a legislative forum in the City Council chamber in Iowa City. All state senators and representatives for Johnson County were invited. All Republicans were absent. Even though Representative Jarad Klein (R-89) and Jeff Kaufmann (R-79) were within walking distance of the event, they declined to attend. Neither Senator Sandy Greiner (R-45) nor Senator James Hahn (R-40) were present either, making for an all-Democratic Party forum.
Present (left to right in the photo) were Senator Bob Dvorsky (D-15), Representative Nate Willems (D-29), Representative Dave Jacoby (D-30), Representative Vicki Lensing (D-78), Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-39) and Representative Mary Mascher (D-77). The forum went from 9:30 AM until 11:30 AM and the audience was familiar to regular attendees of these forums. Here is the short version:
House Side:
The Republican 60-40 majority can do pretty much what it wants, and in the first three weeks they have rushed bills to a vote
without due diligence, on subjects important to Iowans, in order to make political statements related to their recently completed campaigns.Some Republican lawmakers, particularly some members of their freshman class, really don't care about due diligence on issues such as education, the nature of marriage, voting rights, economic development and surprisingly (or not), about how much money they spend.
Per Representative Jacoby, Governor Branstad's 2012 budget proposal would spend a billion dollars more than the 2011 budget signed by Governor Culver. How is that a budget cut?
Senate Side:
Senator Dvorsky points out that like all other states except Nebraska, Iowa has a bicameral legislature, which means what the House says does not necessarily go. According to Senator Bolkcom, who “hate(s) to comment
on what goes on over in the house, the Senate will have a weary eye
towards HF 45.” According to Senator Dvorsky, the bill may not even get taken up.
The 84th General Assembly is divided government and the parties are not even close to deciding the size of the budgetary pie, which means they will use every bit of the 110 day session.
The zero allowable growth for education proposed by Governor Branstad Thursday is unprecedented in the State since 1974. It means draconian cuts of school district headcounts and programs, and a potential property tax increase to make up the difference. As mentioned before, some Republican members just don't care about due diligence regarding changes to our educational system.
To a person, the legislators present at the forum understood the need to work together with the House Republican majority and the Republican governor to craft a budget. Perhaps we will know the other side is willing to work together when we cease to see the 60-40 partisan votes on bills in the house.
One message that came through loud and clear is that now is the time to lobby the Senate. Whether your State Senator is Republican or Democratic, they need to hear from you on education, on a constitutional amendment defining marriage, on tax breaks for large corporations and anything government does that is important to you. Click here for a list of Senators with their contact information. Check out the Blog for Iowa legislative guide here.
~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend editor of Blog for Iowa. E-mail Paul Deaton
Blog For Iowa 
Thank you, Paul. I was there, too, and got the same message: lobby, lobby, lobby. Bryson Dean
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