RSS
How can we make mental health and disability services more accessible to Iowans in all parts of the state at an affordable cost? Currently, mental health services for adults are provided at the county level, meaning Iowa has up to 99 different mental health systems.
Read the full story >>
At a statehouse news conference on May 5, Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal describes Governor Branstad’s last minute decision to cut state services even deeper as “a gut-punch to the middle class.” (Video and partial transcript)
Read the full story >>
News release and video from an April 20, 2011, news conference on an effort to break the budget gridlock at the Iowa Capitol. Two Senate Democratic leaders offered a bold budget reform designed to address the budgetmaking concerns of Governor Branstad and preserve the key priorities of Iowans.
Read the full story >>Video of Thursday’s leadership news conference is below the fold.
Read the full story >>Speaking at the Statehouse news conference Thursday, Senator Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said legislative disagreements should not prevent the state from paying its bills. Supplemental funding for community colleges, public safety and other urgent items are caught up in disagreements over House Republican demands to create a giant fund for unspecified later tax relief.
Read the full story >>
The state must beat a March 10 deadline or lose $14.5 million in federal funds. The cost to Iowa businesses is the same whether or not Iowa requests these funds.
Read the full story >>The Senate remains focused on job creation. All seven job creation measures introduced so far by Senate Democrats survived the first legislative funnel.
Read the full story >>Democrats in charge of the Iowa Senate today outlined a state budget focused on job creation and protecting Iowa’s quality schools. The Senate Democrats’ budget calls for $6.145 billion in general fund spending, $16.2 million less Governor Branstad’s proposed budget. The Senate Democrats include a $199 million tax cut to help working Iowans and encourage small business investment in Iowa. It also increases investment in educational opportunities at Iowa’s local schools, and it continues Iowa’s successful ensures access to Iowa’s quality preschool initiative.
Read the full story >>“For the last 8 or 9 months, state revenues have been coming in above forecast. Last September we closed the books on FY2010 with a $335 million surplus. In October, the Revenue Estimating Conference raised its forecast of state revenues both for the current fiscal year and the next. In December, the REC raised its estimates again, and at the end of December actual revenues were coming in ahead of even the increased estimates. We are on track to run a surplus of $500 million this fiscal year. We will end the year with our reserve funds full to their legal limit and, barring some major screw-up, our AAA bond rating intact.”
Read the full story >>
A recovering Iowa economy, increasing revenue estimates, budget cuts, government reforms and efficiencies, and an early retirement program approved during the 2010 session have all helped reduce the projected budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year (FY12) to $263 million. The State of Iowa’s overall budget SURPLUS at the end of FY11 is estimated to be $903.5 million, and in FY12 our Rainy Day Funds will be full (10%) with a total of $603.1 million.
Read the full story >>
