W. Burlington residents appointed to advise Legislature, Governor
Two West Burlington residents were recently appointed to Iowa’s boards and commissions. These panels help advise the Legislature and Governor on issues of statewide importance. Citizen participation is what makes our democracy strong.
Thank you all who volunteer their time to build a stronger, brighter future for all Iowans, and special congratulations to:
** Jerry Jochims, Medical Assistance Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee
** Debra Jochims, Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission
Increasing local philanthropy
Iowa’s 2011 County Endowment Fund Program will receive approximately $10 million to be distributed to 85 community foundations across the state. Each community foundation will receive approximately $118,000. Seventy-five percent of those funds will be granted to charitable projects and programs in the county. The remaining 25 percent will go to a permanent, unrestricted endowment fund to attract additional donations and provide a source of funding for charitable projects in the county.
County Endowment Funding comes from eight-tenths of one percent of the state’s gambling revenues and goes to community foundations in counties without a state gaming license, including the Community Foundation of Louisa County and the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.
Local communities receive improvement funds
The Iowa Department of Economic Development this summer awarded Community Development Block Grant funds to support community investment projects across the state. In total, the federally funded grants will leverage more than $34 million in local funds from Iowa’s communities. The program enables communities to make needed improvements to water and sewer systems, improve housing conditions for low-income homeowners, and develop the best child care facilities for Iowa’s youth.
The grants are awarded based on financial need and potential impact of the project, benefit to low- and moderate-income persons, and commitment of local resources to moving the project forward. The awards for our area include:
Where
What
Funding
West Burlington – building renovation to provide services to persons with disabilities – $152,350
Columbus City – water distribution system improvements – $229,000
Burlington – rehabilitation of 10 owner-occupied single family units – $369,999
Make your voice heard on natural resources funding
Local Iowans will have the chance to shape the future of Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection Program at public meetings in Burlington and Muscatine. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with an open house showcasing REAP’s positive impact throughout Iowa, and the public meeting starting at 6:30 p.m.
REAP is a successful outdoor recreation and conservation funding program, which has supported parks, soil, water and habitat improvements, roadside prairies, historical development and conservation education. REAP distributes funding, which comes from gaming revenues and sales of natural resource license plates, to farmers, conservation organizations, educators, cities, counties, historians and state projects.
Public Meetings
October 10
Muscatine
Environmental Learning Center
3300 Cedar St.,
Counties: Muscatine, Scott
October 11
Burlington
City Auditorium
Banquet Room
200 North Front Street
Counties: Des Moines, Henry, Lee, Louisa
Job creation will continue recession recovery
Nearly one in five Iowa businesses expects to add workers over the next few months, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. It found that Iowa’s fourth-quarter outlook is the third best in the country. With more than 100,000 unemployed Iowans looking for jobs, this is good news for employers and workers alike.
In just the last year, Iowa has recovered about one-third of the jobs lost during the 2007-2009 recession. Our state has rebounded from the national better than most and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation. But we can’t let our efforts stall.
We must make job creation and economic growth our top priority. As we prepare for the 2012 session, I’m working on a commercial property tax break that will give every Iowa business a tax cut, will provide the most help to small business owners, and won’t shift property taxes to homeowners or force local communities to cut critical services. This will help provide more of the resources Iowa employers need to hire workers, expand their businesses and grow our economy.
For several years now, legislators have balanced the state budget without raising taxes. The positive impact on Iowa’s economy is evident. The most recent update from Iowa’s nonpartisan Fiscal Services Division projects an ending balance of more than $483 million when the books are officially closed on the 2011 budget. In addition, we should have about $594 million in the state’s cash reserve and economic emergency funds by next June 30, the end of fiscal year 2012.
With more than a billion dollars in the bank, our state budget is in solid shape. That means we can put our focus where it needs to be: investing in job creation and helping Iowans recover from the national recession.
Ensuring government works for you
Government works best when it is accountable to the people it serves. That’s why I helped approve several initiatives this year to increase accountability and transparency in Iowa government.
> Expect honorable behavior: We toughened the Iowa Senate’s ethics rules so that you can find out how your citizen legislators make a living while also serving in the Senate (SR 3).
> Know how your tax dollars are spent: We approved a one-stop, searchable, online budget database that will allow you to see where your tax dollars are going. You’ll also be able to review all Iowa tax rates and learn about state tax credits and who receives those credits (HF 45).
> Stay up to date on what’s happening: We strengthened Iowa’s “sunshine” laws to help ensure that Iowans are informed about government decisions that impact them. In addition, we increased the penalty for violating Iowa’s open meetings and open records laws (SF 289).
> Enjoy equal representation: We approved new districts (based on the latest census numbers) that ensure equal congressional, state senate and state house representation for every Iowan. The nonpartisan method we use here in Iowa is considered the best in the nation (HF 682).
> Shine a light on special interests: We created an online, searchable database that you can use to research lobbyists, their positions on legislation and their clients (HF 126).
> Stronger checks and balances: We unanimously approved reforms—with the Governor’s support—that limit budget transfers when the Legislature is not in session. We also improved the state’s long-term budgeting process by requiring Iowa’s nonpartisan Revenue Estimating Conference to make a three-year estimate of the state’s revenues (HF 148).
> Felons will repay undeserved income: We passed legislation requiring public employees put on administrative leave because of felony charges to pay back wages if convicted (HF 493).
The goal of these initiatives is to increase government accountability and transparency because you deserve to have your interests fairly and effectively represented.
Strengthening teen driving standards saves lives
The Legislature’s efforts to reduce accidents among Iowa’s teen drivers are paying off. The number of fatal crashes involving 16-year-old drivers in Iowa has dropped significantly over the last 10 years, according to a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
We had just one fatal crash involving a 16-year-old driver in 2010. In 2001, there were more than 20 deaths among 16-year-olds on Iowa roads. The number of crashes involving 18-year-old drivers has also fallen, from 3,947 in 2001 to 1,900 last year.
We all benefit when teen drivers are better prepared to get behind the wheel. The key to our success here in Iowa is our graduated driver’s licensing system. It requires teenagers to earn an instruction permit and intermediate license before being eligible for a full license.
This year, I worked to strengthen Iowa’s graduated driver’s licensing system by requiring young drivers with an instruction permit to drive for one year accident-free and violation-free before advancing to an intermediate license. Currently, Iowa teens must have a clean driving record with an instructional permit for only six months. Extending the requirement to a year would give teen drivers more time to experience all seasons and road conditions.
Teens are much more likely to have an accident when their friends are in the car. In one study, teenagers ran about 40 percent more yellow lights and had 60 percent more crashes when their friends were passengers. The legislation I supported this year would have limited the number of passengers during a teen’s first six months with an intermediate license to one person under 21 who is not a sibling or member of the same household.
You can learn more about Iowa’s graduated driver’s licensing standards for teen drivers here.
High school students: Apply to be a page
Each year, high school juniors and seniors work as pages at the Iowa Capitol during the legislative session, which generally runs from January through April.
This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn firsthand about state government, work with elected officials, and see how ideas for a better Iowa become legislation.
Job duties include responding to requests from legislators and staff, assisting during committee meetings, and distributing and organizing materials and supplies. Pages work 40 hours a week and are paid $8.57 per hour. They may also arrange for academic credit with their high school.
The application deadline for the 2012 session is Oct. 7. For complete details and an application, go here.
Keep kids safe online
Being on the Internet is a regular pastime for many kids today. It can seem completely harmless, especially when they go online to do homework or to chat with friends and family.
But there are risks that all families should be aware of. The non-profit Web site www.ikeepsafe.org suggests kids be taught the 3 C’s of Internet safety: Contact, Content and Conduct.
> Contact: what relationships is your child developing online? Kids need to know that they can’t always trust who they are talking to over the Web. Remind them never to give out personal information, such as their name and address.
> Content: what information is you child finding and posting online? Make sure your child understands that what they put on the Internet may be there forever, so think before posting.
> Conduct: how does your child behave online? Kids should understand that what they say online can help or hurt as much as it does in person. Don’t bully and don’t tolerate online bullies.
To learn more about online safety, go here.
Contact Tom
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