House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) released the following statement following the Democrats’ release of the partial budget targets:

“These targets give the public an incomplete picture of the Democrats’ spending plan. However, based on what I’ve seen, it appears that legislative Democrats plan to carry forward Gov. Culver’s property tax increases.

“House Republicans will not support a budget that spends more money than the state takes in. Republicans have outlined over $600 million in cost-savings during the last two years. We will continue to fight for limited government and responsible budgeting as the bills move through the process.”

House Democrats’ plan to gut Iowa’s right to work law cleared another hurdle on Thursday as it received Labor Committee approval. House File 2420 forces non-union employees to pay a portion of their salary to a union. The bill applies to approximately 30,000 executive branch employees. However nothing prevents the bill from being expanded to included private sector employees.

“House Republicans do not support stripping Iowans of their liberties and rights,” said House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha). “Under this proposal, not only will Iowans have to pay to keep their job, they’ll have to hire a lawyer too.”

Continue reading…

Rep. Chambers

Republican Representatives Royd Chambers (R-Sheldon), Annette Sweeney (R-Alden), Jeff Kaufmann (R-Wilton) and Pat Grassley (R-New Hartford) crafted legislation aimed at reforming the Board of Regents and their policies as an attempt to find more budget efficiencies and savings for the state.

“House Republicans took a serious look at ways to save Iowans money and help protect one of Iowa’s most vulnerable groups, it’s students,” said Rep. Royd Chambers. “We think this plan is a step in the right direction.”

Continue reading for the details…

Today in the House Labor committee, Democrats assigned a bill which would gut Iowa’s right to work law. House Study Bill 702 is an attempt by House Democrats to take away Iowans’ choice to join a union.

Iowa’s right to work law guarantees that no person can be compelled, as a condition of employment, to join, not join or pay any fees to a labor union. Iowa’s right to work law has been in place since 1947. This bill is a direct attack on hard-working Iowans’ liberties.

“It is simply wrong to tell someone they must give their hard-earned dollars to an organization they have chosen not to be a member of,” said House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha). “A union is not forced to represent non-members. They choose forced monopoly bargaining and now they want to force payment for providing those unwanted services.”

Under the Democrats’ plan, public employees who are non-union would be forced to pay a fee to the union as a condition of their employment, thus completely gutting Iowa’s right to work law.

Today House Republicans will offer an additional $290 million in General Fund savings today in the House State Government Committee. The committee is scheduled to approve the government reorganization bill, Senate File 2088.

“I’ve appreciated the bipartisan manner in which we’ve worked on the reorganization bill. I believe we have the ability to go further than the original bill and find even more savings and waste in government,” said State Government Ranking Member Doug Struyk (R-Council Bluffs). “I look forward to continued bipartisan work as we move this bill through the process.”

Continue reading to see what savings ideas are being offered…

Today House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) released the following statement on Gov. Chet Culver’s recent budget proposal:

“The governor’s budget spends more money than it takes in and will increase the burden on property taxpayers. Once again, decisions in Des Moines are going to drive up property taxes across the state. It’s irresponsible and will be costly for Iowans.

“House Republicans will dive into budgets, ask tough questions, and identify savings and government waste while being responsible with taxpayers’ money.”

80,000 Iowans were out of work at the beginning of 2009. Currently, we’re approaching 115,000 Iowans out of work. In 2009, runaway state government passed budget-busting ideas and bonded its way into debt all in the name of “job creation”, only to end up with even more Iowans out of work.

Throwing taxpayer money at the problem didn’t work.

This year, Republicans have proposed a four-point plan for job growth.

• Create a favorable climate for job growth
• End the assault on employers
• Stop property tax increases headed for families and businesses
• Ensure tax credit reviews don’t result in tax increases

Continue reading…

Last year, House Republicans released a series of budget questions that were used to help Republicans dive into the state budget, bring more accountability to taxpayers and help them develop over $330 million in ideas for savings. Today, House Republicans are releasing a new set of questions they will be asking in the 2010 budget subcommittee meetings.

Republicans have made Democrat leadership, department heads and staffs aware of their questions and House Republican Ranking Members will be again investigating where each taxpayer dollar is spent and relaying that information back to Iowans.

Continue reading to see what questions will be asked…

House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) commented on the governor’s condition of the state address today.

“The governor needs to be straight with Iowans, he has raised taxes to balance his budget and that is unacceptable. Balancing the budget is not good enough if it’s on the backs of the taxpayer.

“Among others, the governor has signed utility tax increases, raised taxes on Iowa employers, and a $250 million tax levied on property tax payers. The governor has repeatedly proposed and signed over a half a billion dollars in tax increases.

“Iowa families have been tightening their belts but, they can no longer be asked to carry the weight of this governor’s mistakes and mismanagement.”

House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) delivered opening remarks to the Iowa House of Representatives today. The following are his remarks, as prepared for delivery:

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ladies and gentlemen of the House, family and friends:

First I want to start by welcoming Representative Royd Chambers back to the House. Thank you for your service, Royd, we’re very happy to have you home.

Obviously we have a difficult year ahead of us. But rather than look at this as a problem I hope this body will choose to see opportunity. Opportunity for a stronger Iowa, opportunity to create an efficient and open state government. An opportunity to give the state back to the people.

Last year we heard a lot of blame being passed out. House Republicans don’t think this is helpful. Wasn’t it President Truman who said, “the buck stops here?” Instead of blaming our state’s troubles on someone else, House Republicans have taken action and are ready to take action again this year.

Read more »