Iowans to be Taken for a Ride

by Paul Deaton

Okay, it is starting to sink in that the role of the Iowa House of Representatives is to provide entertainment for us while members of the House Appropriations Committee try to figure out how to pass the conservative agenda's budget in a session of divided government. I am beginning to get it.

It is good to know that while my local school district is facing a general fund deficit of $800,000, Representative Matt Windschitl (R-56) introduced a bill (HF 22) to enable Iowans to ride llamas, burros and alpaca-like equine animals off the trails of the state parks. It takes me back to my childhood burro rides in Mother Goose Land at Fejervary Park in Davenport. I wonder if he would bring back “monkey island” as well? I recall that it was also very entertaining.

While our local school board, in a growing district, is able to replace only six of nine retirees and terminations because of budget constraints, Governor Branstad proposed a billion dollar spending increase to the 84th General Assembly. If we are going back to big spending Republican agendas, then what about deferring some of the tax breaks for the wealthy to support our children's education? Seriously.

When our school superintendent tells us that because if there is zero percent allowable growth, during salary negotiations with the teachers' union, the school board will either have to deficit spend the difference out of the district's cash reserve or cut more out of the general fund budget, the legislature is concerned about decriminalizing the manufacture and possession of a mechanical silencer for weapons (HF 104). Seriously?

Unfortunately, conservatives are deadly serious about these ideas. In any legislative session constituents urge lawmakers to introduce bills that support their interests, and HF 22 and HF 104 should be considered no different. The problem is when they get traction in the House, are voted out of committee and see debate on the floor. While this may entertain us while the budget work gets done, it seems like a distraction from the work Iowans need and want from the General Assembly.

Some of us agree that school districts could do a better job controlling costs. But it a false assertion for Republicans to make that there is not enough money to support education. With a projection to have more than a $900 million surplus at the end of this fiscal year, HF 45's current budget year cuts and the governor's zero percent allowable growth for the next two fiscal years seem unwarranted and ideological. Of course they are.

There is almost certain to be an impasse when the budget reconciliation between the Senate and House gets to crunch time. So Democrats in the House, why don't you get bipartisan on this alpaca bill and vote it out of committee so there can be debate. After all, if the serious work of supporting our children's education is going to take the entire session, we may as well be entertained by the prospect of riding llamas and alpacas while we wait.

~Paul Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend editor of Blog for Iowa. E-mail Paul Deaton