Statement on the updated revenue estimates by Senator Joe Bolkcom,
Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member
“Since 2010, Statehouse Republicans and then-Governor Terry Branstad have made two big promises to Iowans: Raise family incomes by 25% and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs.
“Today’s updated revenue estimates are more evidence that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are continuing to break those promises to Iowans. That’s bad, bad news for Iowa families and their communities, especially those living in smaller towns and rural ares.
“The bottom line is that economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility will only return if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smart investments in Iowa workers and their families.”
Iowa Senate News Release For Immediate Release: October 13, 2017
News Conference: 12:40 PM, Monday, October 16
Advanced Manufacturing Lab, Western Iowa Tech Community College
Members of the Iowa House and Senate will hold a news conference at 12:40 PM on Monday, October 16 in the Advanced Manufacturing Lab at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City.
The event will be held at the conclusion of a campus tour by the legislators. Participants will include Senator Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids, the Democratic Leader of the Iowa Senate and State Representative Chris Hall.
“The opportunities at Western Iowa Tech are key to building a stronger Iowa economy, one with more higher skilled, higher paying jobs,” said Senator Hogg. “Iowa’s shortage of skilled workers can be fixed by making Western Iowa Tech’s opportunities more available and more affordable for more Iowans.”
Western Iowa Tech Community College is a publicly supported comprehensive community college serving the Iowa counties of Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth, and Woodbury, which have a combined population of about 180,000.
The visit’s tentative agenda is as follows:
A brief overview of college operations and a meeting with students
A discussion of the “Gateway to College” program for high school students who are behind on high school credits. If accepted into the program, students attend Western Iowa Tech without being charged for tuition or books while earning credits toward both a regular high school diploma and a college certificate or degree.
A classroom tour that will include police science, culinary, HVAC, auto body repair, Emergency Medical Services, cybercrime investigation, Emergency operations center, and Audio & Video Engineering.
A short news conference will take place at the final stop on the tour, the Advanced Manufacturing Lab of the Advanced Sciences Building at approximately 12:40 PM.
Members of the press should park in Lot 3 and then go to Entrance 11, under the sign that says “Advanced Sciences Building. The lab entrance is straight ahead after you enter Entrance 11. A photo of Senator Hogg can be found here: http://bit.ly/2gzQmDt.
Iowa Senate News Release For Immediate Release: October 10, 2017
State Senator Rita Hart of Wheatland is organizing town hall meetings on jobs in November. The events will begin at 7 PM and conclude at 8 PM.
“Our part of Iowa has opportunities for real growth. We need to work together to promote small business development, entrepreneurship, and educational opportunities. That’s how we will increase the number of higher wage jobs in our community,” said Hart, a farmer and former teacher.
“One of the Legislature’s most important jobs is to invest in long-range economic development that ensures future growth and prosperity across all of Iowa,” said Hart, the former Chair of the Senate Economic Growth Committee. “At the meetings, I’ll be listening for ideas that will help create jobs and grow our local economy.”
The State Senator encouraged people to bring their suggestions.
“This is a discussion and I hope people will arrive with some suggestions,” said Hart. “The best ideas often appear when we get together and listen to each other.”
Senator Hart will be holding multiple meetings about jobs and economic development throughout her Senate district. The dates and locations are:
IOWA SENATE NEWS
For immediate release: Oct. 6, 2017
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – State Senator Liz Mathis (D-Hiawatha) has been named a Hero in the Fight by the Linn County chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness.
“Senator Mathis works relentlessly to advocate for our most vulnerable citizens. With Medicaid moving to a managed care system, Senator Mathis has been active in the community, listening to individuals and families about their experiences and making sure no one falls through the cracks. She listens to providers and advocacy groups so that she truly understands how real people are impacted. Her genuine care is evident,” said Kathy Johnson, a member of the board of directors for NAMI Linn County.
The Heroes in the Fight awards are given each year to those who help fight stigma the stigma of mental illness and promote positive changes to ensure all Iowans have access to affordable and effective mental health treatment.
“Iowans struggling with mental illness are some of our most vulnerable citizens, but their needs are often overlooked, or they get lost in our complicated health care system. They deserve someone who will stand up for them, fight for them and not quit until we get the job done,” Mathis said.
Senator Mathis authored legislation with the help of Kent Jackson, director of Behavioral Health for Unity Point, which allows certain patients with schizophrenia to get long-lasting injections of antipsychotic medicine so that they can avoid costly hospital stays and more easily return to their day-to-day life.
She also created a Children’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Workgroup in 2015 that is building a child mental health care system. The workgroup will be presenting legislation in 2018 that will address children experiencing a mental health care crisis. The workgroup also has encouraged pilot projects for new ways of improving child wellbeing.
The Heroes in the Fight awards ceremony took place Thursday at Mercy Hospital’s Hallagan Auditorium in Cedar Rapids. Other local award recipients were:
Ben Rogers – Linn County Board of Supervisor
Ursula Livermore – Eastern Iowa Health Center Medical Director
Diane Brecht – Local Provider of SCL services
Brad Neff – Volunteer with Family Support and Family-to-Family classes
NAMI Linn County is the local affiliate of a state and national association dedicated to education, advocacy and support for individuals and families struggling with the impact of a mental illness.
“Rural Iowans need higher wages. Rural businesses need skilled workers and more customers,” said Kinney, a farmer and retired deputy sheriff. “At the Sigourney Library meeting, I’ll be listening for ideas that will help create jobs and economic prosperity across our state.
The State Senator encouraged people to bring their suggestions.
“This will be a discussion, not a lecture,” said Kinney. “The best ideas often appear when we get together and listen to each other.”
Iowa Senate News Release
Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg: (515) 281-3901
For Immediate Release: September 28, 2017
Reaction by Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg
to Iowa taxpayers’ money going to pay for GOP misdeeds
“Iowans are rightfully disgusted by the harassment, discrimination, and retaliation against Kirsten Anderson and other legislative staff.
“They are outraged that their tax dollars are going to be used to pay $1.75 million because of the misconduct and mismanagement by Republican Senators.
“When a jury delivered the verdict against Senate Republicans in July, I called on all Senators to work together to fix this problem. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have ignored the calls for action and Iowa taxpayers are paying the price.”
Statement by Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee
“Reynolds apparently wants to forget about the nearly 250,000 students who attend Iowa’s colleges and universities, but they really took it on the chin from her budget. SF 130 resulted in $4.75 million being cut from the community colleges, $9.24 million cut from the University of Iowa, $8.99 million from Iowa State, and $2.52 million from UNI. Private college students ducked any cut for FY2017, but they lost $2.8 million from their Iowa Tuition Grant scholarship fund for this school year.
“As a direct result of Reynolds’ education cuts, Regents university students this fall got a ‘welcome back’ surprise of a steep tuition hike. At ISU, the increase was two and a half times what students had initially been told.
“Bad enough that Reynolds would levy a ‘tuition tax increase’ on students and their families, but then to fib about it and pretend it didn’t happen is just dishonest. Iowans deserve better.”
Iowa Senate News Release For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 20, 2017
This is a statement from Sen. Joe Bolkcom, ranking member of the Senate Appropriation Committee
“This is the third time we have seen a budget shortfall for Fiscal Year 17. Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans have created a budget mess by failing to grow Iowa’s economy. They have failed to keep their promises to increase family incomes by 25 percent and to create more than 200,000 new jobs.
“Economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility can only return if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smart investments in Iowa workers and their families.”
State Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames, the Ranking Member of the Senate Education Committee, released a statement in response to today’s meeting of Tuition Task Force with the Iowa Board of Regents:
“In a series of meetings, Iowans overwhelmingly urged the Board of Regents not to impose years of sharp tuition increases on Iowa students and their families.
“Let’s be clear. During the 2017 session, Republicans balanced the state budget by cutting university funding, forcing a tuition increase this year of more than twice what the Board of Regents had proposed. Now, instead of ending huge giveaways to out-of-state corporations, Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans hope a steep, multi-year ‘tuition tax’ on Iowa students will balance Iowa’s busted state budget.
“However, making college much more costly for Iowa students will only make things worse. Iowa is in a downward spiral. Our state’s lack of skilled workers prevents strong economic growth. The lack of economic growth creates a budget deficit. Republicans cut education to balance the budget. Those cuts worsen our skilled worker shortage.
“The Republican plan to balance the budget through a ‘tuition tax’ on Iowa families will hurt Iowa’s economy and should be rejected.”
Sept. 21, 2017
