Finishing the job we were elected to do

The legislative session is going longer than scheduled. I hope it will wrap up soon, but we won’t gavel out until Iowa has a balanced state budget that keeps our commitments to students, working families and local communities on education, job creation and economic growth.

While it is true that some legislative Republicans have floated the idea of just giving up and going home, rest assured, that won’t happen.

A recent Sioux City Journal editorial stated: “Voters sent representatives and senators (Republicans and Democrats) to Des Moines to do a job. Arguably, the most important job for our legislators is passage of a budget (a budget for the full fiscal year) before they gavel their session to a close. Iowans expect nothing less.”

I agree 100 percent!!!

That’s why I will continue to make the case for investing in Iowa’s future while being fiscally responsible. Our state’s economy has rebounded from the national recession stronger and quicker than most states. The state budget is in good shape, thanks to sound bipartisan management.

Here are some budget facts. The state of Iowa is expected to have a budget surplus of about $258 million on June 30, the end of the current budget year. In addition, we have $617.1 million in our reserve funds, the largest amount in state history. On top of that, we’re putting an additional $60 million into the newly created Taxpayer Trust Fund.

In short, there is no reason for any legislator to give up and go home without making the tough decisions they were sent to the Statehouse to make.