by Art Smith | Mar 8, 2009
Peter’s weekly newsletter (pdf here) from Feb 23 is below. How our state Legislators evaluate bills to identify where priorities and value are best provided in our economic situation is definitely key. Peter provides some great perspective on what we do (or rather, don’t do) to ensure that the next generation has the skills they need to manage their personal finances responsibly, and he has put forth a bill to do just that.
The current General Assembly should be doing everything within its means to improve Iowa’s economy. America is experiencing historic downturns in the stock market, housing market, and the banking industry, and unemployment is rising in Iowa and the nation. The primary question that legislators should be asking themselves is what they can do to help improve the economy. Legislators should be asking these three questions when looking at every bill that comes to a vote this session:
- Does this legislation grow Iowa’s economy?
- Does this legislation create more jobs?
- Does this legislation encourage employers to invest in our state?
The Legislature also needs to think about the future generation of Iowans. How can we best help them to attain the skills necessary to succeed in life? I believe that every student in Iowa should receive specific financial literacy education in his/her school. Last year, the Legislature took a good first step in requiring financial literacy to be part of the core curriculum for our schools. However, the Legislature did not go far enough.
The current financial literacy curriculum is not specific enough in nature. I believe every student in Iowa should know how to balance a checkbook, learn the danger of a credit card, the responsibilities regarding a home mortgage, and the merits of saving money. These are skills and knowledge lacking in our society. I have drafted a bill that will do precisely this. The Legislature can take an important step for the future of all Iowans by passing this legislation. Everyday the Legislature needs to work at getting Iowa back to economic prosperity. We also need to keep in mind the next generation of Iowans. It is our job to ensure they do not encounter the same problems we are experiencing. It is every legislator’s duty to serve all Iowans even the ones who do not yet have the right to vote.
by Art Smith | Feb 16, 2009
David Vaudt is Iowa’s Auditor. A Conservative Republican, he has consistently provided an unbiased, unvarnished view into the realities of Iowa’s financial planning and execution. If anyone knows the score and knows what is required right now, it is David. I think we all know that more needs to be done, and that it is imperative that we stay out of the Rainy Day Fund. And that we don’t go doing something really stupid like selling off the Lottery. Stop spending!
Following are some comments from Senator Paul McKinley:
Senate Republicans Applaud Auditor’s Commitment
to Fiscal Responsibility, Sustainable Budgeting
Had governor, legislative Democrats heeded Vaudt’s advice during the past two years, Iowa’s fiscal condition would be significantly stronger today
DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) today issued the following statement commending Auditor David Vaudt today as he renewed his warnings to lawmakers and the governor that tough and significant spending cuts will need to be made to stave off a potentially disastrous budgetary crunch:
“For the past two years, the auditor has been travelling all over the state speaking to taxpayers about Iowa’s budget and he has been an outspoken and consistent advocate of keeping government living within its means. Iowans are tired of the out of control spending and irresponsible budgeting of the past two years and I want to strongly urge the governor and legislative Democrats to finally listen to the smart suggestions being proposed by the auditor. The auditor is an extremely well respected taxpayer watchdog and he has been right for the past two years and he is right again today. We need to put his proposals into practice and keep this state’s budget balanced without raising taxes or putting hundreds of millions of additional dollars on the state’s credit card.â€
“I have been hearing from Iowans in all corners of the state who are fed up with the out of control spending during the past two years. Now, more than ever, it is vitally important that we re-establish the notion that is Iowans who run government and not the other way around. We should be focused on growing Iowa not growing government.â€
Hear, hear!
by Art Smith | Feb 16, 2009
This week’s newsletter from Iowa House District 60 Representative Peter Cownie is addressed to Governor Culver and provides encouragement for the Iowa Governor to travel to Microsoft headquarters to press for the software giant to recommit to their plans for a data center in West Des Moines.
Dear Governor Culver,
One of the most important jobs a governor can perform is that of advocating for new businesses and jobs to come to his/her state. No one is as recognizable or deserves to be listened to more than a governor in this respect. Therefore, I respectfully encourage you to go directly to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington and advocate for Microsoft to remain committed to building the data center in West Des Moines. The data center was scheduled to break ground in 2009. However, Microsoft recently informed West Des Moines officials that plans would be postponed indefinitely due to the difficult economic times. The data center represents $550 million in new development for West Des Moines and Iowa as well as the creation of 75 new jobs with salaries near $70,000.Â
Governor Culver, now is not the time to sit and wait for Microsoft to decide what they want to do. Iowa needs to be proactive in bringing business to our great state. Nobody has more credibility in selling Iowa than you. Microsoft is an example of new business that would bring millions of dollars to Iowa. Real leadership means taking chances even when failure is a possibility. Real leadership also means going to bat for the people who elected you. As a State Representative for West Des Moines, I feel strongly that you can make a real difference for the people of Iowa in this case. This COULD be a signature moment for Iowa and your tenure as governor. I hope you will decide to rise to the challenge. I would be happy to accompany you.
Sincerely,
State Representative Peter Cownie
District 60
West Des Moines
This is the type of action that our state leaders need to take… acting intentionally to ensure that players like Microsoft don’t think we’re just fine like we are. This is the time to act as if the deal were new and we are in contention with other states or cities… if you think that Microsoft isn’t looking somewhere else right now, you don’t know much about the world.
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By the way, this reminds me of the fact that the General Assembly seems to be sitting on their collective hands waiting for the Stimulus package. Among other things, Iowa has around 50 projects that are specifically waiting for federal money to be commenced. I don’t know how many of those projects need state legislative action to proceed, but it’s a little concerning that we’re getting in line for money in some cases for projects that have questionable value or relevance in our current economic times. After all the criticism of US Banks for how they manage their [stockholders’] money, it’s rather ironic that we won’t treat the excesses of government spending being brought about by this huge pile of pork manure with the same level of contempt.
More on these projects later.
by Art Smith | Feb 9, 2009
Since I don’t currently have the time I need to follow the work of the Iowa General Assembly as closely as I’d like, it helps me to read these updates from Peter. This week, I’m surprised to learn that the Democrats are anxious to bring back the “Fair Share” concept that they tried to force down Iowan’s throats last year.
It isn’t bad enough that we have to struggle to ensure that spending is under control and that we don’t depend on the Federal Government to meet our fiscal needs, but do we really have to start sucking up to the unions yet again by taxing non-union members to pay for the junkets of corrupt union leaders?
Mind you, if union members really want to throw their money away by paying union dues that cost them more than they get (and I mean costing in terms of lost opportunities, meager strike funds and ridiculous concessions that just bankrupt the companies they work for), that’s their business. But dragging their co-workers into paying for the same obsolete concept is larceny.
Call your representative and stop this madness!
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Meanwhile the budget battle goes on. Evidently, the message continues to be finding ways to keep the spending flowing despite any sense of thoughfulness. Granted, I think we can live on a lot less spending even when the economy is good… and if we worked with that mindset, it wouldn’t be so hard for us right now because we’d already have budget, the government, the horse trough, all under control. It’s too bad we don’t do enough to hold the politicians accountable.
But you can. Call them. And start planning for the 2010 elections.
by Art Smith | Feb 7, 2009
You can view Peter’s newsletter here.
Peter poses some great positive ideas for improving the current economic state of affairs in Iowa, with particular and appropriate emphasis on our need to reduce state government spending:
These cuts should be a positive thing for the taxpayers of Iowa. Like any business that goes thru [sic] hard times, the cutting of excess can make government leaner and more efficient in the long run.
This should be a message spread throughout the States’ and Federal Legislatures: part of our problem has always been too much government spending, too much bloating in the government, too big a trough for elected officials to feed on and build electoric favoratism to ensure a nice long career as a politician.
Although I haven’t had time to peruse the budget that Governor Culver has placed in front of the General Assembly yet, I appreciate the fact that he has gone a long way to cutting the fat out of Iowa Government. However, since we are still a ways from seeing a balanced budget, there is more to do. The Entitlements need more thoughtful review. I hope to have some thoughts on the content of the budget next week. Meanwhile, if you’re interested, you can read the budget here.
And the convoluted attempts to raise money through shenanigans such as leasing or selling the Lottery cannot be allowed to move forward. Emily Geiger at Battleground Iowa had a great analysis of the current state of the politics around this issue Thursday.
At any rate, we don’t get a lot of time to do the lawmaking here in Iowa. We need to all pay attention as our Legislators and Governor are making decisions that may impact us for a while. Keep in mind that even though we have a Balanced Budget law in Iowa, the politicians are still adept at manipulating the numbers to convince us they’ve done as much even though they have not.
And get in contact with your Statehouse Representative and Senator. They are there for you.