RSSToday Tod Dorman with the Cedar Rapids Gazette penned a spot on column about Governor Terry Branstad’s veto of a tax cut for hard working Iowa families, below.
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Today underthegoldendome.com uncovered video of Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds giving an unconditional endorsement of Iowa Workforce Offices while she was campaigning for office. Yet these days Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Gov. Terry Branstad are standing by their plan to close at least 36 Workforce Offices across the state at a time when more than 100,000 Iowans are out of work.
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A new survey shows Iowa employers are more optimistic about our state’s economy than their national counterparts. Forty-seven percent of Iowa employers are somewhat or very optimistic about job growth, according to the Hamilton Hiring Survey. In addition, 41 percent of Iowa employers expect to hire over the next quarter.
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Senate Democrats are hosting a weeklong series of “Open Budget Hearings” at the Iowa Statehouse. Informed Iowans will detail the impact of the significant points of disagreement between Senate Democratic proposals and those of Governor Branstad and House Republicans. On this page you can watch archived video of the meetings, read statements and post your own comments.
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Last week Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Bob Dvorsky of Coralville wrote a guest editorial in the Iowa City Press-Citizen asking Governor Branstad to “stop playing budget chicken” and instead focus on job creation and education.
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Below the fold is an op-ed by Senator Matt McCoy of Des Moines, chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure, and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee, encouraging Governor Branstad to support passenger rail.
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On today’s edition of Iowa Press, Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City) and Representative Tom Sands (R-Wapello), chairmen of the legislature’s Ways and Means Committees, will discuss budget disagreements surrounding property taxes and commercial property taxes for FY 2012.
Read the full story >>The Muscatine Journal has an indepth article on how the property tax cut plan from the Republican House and Governor Branstad will affect homeowners, local economic development and local governments. A short summary: “It’s not good.”
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The governor claims a two-year budget is essential to improving Iowa’s budget process. The facts, however, indicate otherwise. The track record of the last decade conclusively demonstrates that two-year budgets would actually increase uncertainty and miscalculation when it comes to Iowa’s budget. A historical analysis of non-partisan economic forecasts is below the fold.
Read the full story >>Yesterday Governor Branstad released his 2010 income tax return. He’s been complaining for months about the great financial sacrifice he made by running for governor, so we were surprised to learn he pulled in $322,476 last year! As the Legislature begins budget negotiations, should Governor Branstad share in the sacrifice or does the Legislature need to pass a Branstad Bailout to sweeten the deal?
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