A bill suggested by House Majority Leader McCarthy would allow Iowa’s 17 state-regulated casinos to add popular card games like poker and blackjack in ballrooms and convention rooms where gambling is currently not allowed. Some of these casinos already have “poker rooms,” but they are too small to hold large poker tournaments. “This is not new gaming; this is existing gaming,” McCarthy said in The Des Moines Register. McCarthy went on to say that this expansion would increase tax revenue for the state.
Continue reading about more gambling changes in the works…
On Thursday, December 10, the State Government Reorganization Interim Committee voted unanimously to approve several proposals to reduce state government spending.
Here is the list of proposed recommendations to the Legislature. The list is broken down into four primary areas – E-government, consolidated purchasing, government efficiencies, and span of control.
Click to view the highlights of each area…
As part of the Iowa Republicans: Real Solutions for Iowa’s Families initiative, Iowa Republicans announced The Liberty Agenda: Putting People First
Iowa Republicans are united in support of returning to the notion that it is Iowans that run government, not the other way around. Since 2006, the final year in which Republicans controlled at least one chamber of the Legislature, Iowa’s government has become bloated and unresponsive. The focus has become on what is best for the bureaucracy and maintaining the status quo, rather than what is best for Iowa’s families.
As Iowans have seen numerous times over the past several years, government is erecting barricades in front of them instead removing roadblocks to their success. Government has become too large too fast and it is time to make sure government is accountable to Iowa’s families.
Here is what Republicans will do if Iowa voters give us the opportunity:
Continue reading…
As part of the Iowa Republicans: Real Solutions for Iowa’s Families initiative, Iowa Republicans announced Health Care Initiatives
Iowa Republicans are united in support of reforming and opening state government. Government has a responsibility to make public how and where it spends taxpayer dollars. Additionally, Republicans believe government has a responsibility to make certain that information is accurate, easy to understand and delivered regularly.
Government reform cannot wait for another CIETC scandal or film office debacle to happen. It must be done now. Government has become too large too fast and it is time for a set of common sense Iowa Open Government Initiatives to solve Iowa problems with Iowa solutions.
Here is what Republicans will do if Iowa voters give us the opportunity:
Continue reading…
House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) issued the following statement in response to the program review of the Iowa Film Office:
“It is outrageous that the executive branch has been administering this program for two years in violation of the laws passed by the Legislature.
“Regular Iowans are not allowed to sidestep the law and state government cannot be allowed to either.
“This is another example of why House Republicans offered proposals last year to provide a more open and transparent state government. Regrettably, these were defeated in the Senate.”
On September 9, the State Government Reorganization Interim Committee met for the first time.
According to the charge of the committee, the goal is to consider options for reorganizing state government to improve efficiency, modernize processes, eliminate duplication and outdated processes, reduce costs, and increase accountability. The review shall address the expanded use of the Internet and other technology, and the incorporation of productivity improvement measures. The study shall include a process to receive state government efficiency suggestions offered by the public.
The members of the interim are Senators Appel, Danielson, Feenstra, Hamerlinck and Warnstadt and Representatives Mascher, Gaskill, Helland, Struyk and Todd Taylor.
Continue reading about the first meeting…
On September 9, the State Government Reorganization Interim Committee will meet for the first time.
According to the charge of the committee, the goal of the meetings are to consider options for reorganizing state government to improve efficiency, modernize processes, eliminate duplication and outdated processes, reduce costs, and increase accountability. The review shall address the expanded use of the Internet and other technology, and the incorporation of productivity improvement measures. The study shall include a process to receive state government efficiency suggestions offered by the public.
Continue reading…
Iowa’s Jobless Rate: It’s Getting Worse!
Four months ago the Democrat controlled legislature approved the largest spending package in Iowa’s history in addition to borrowing over $800 million leaving Iowa taxpayers with a bill a little under $2 billion. It was sold as the answer to Iowa’s economic troubles. Now that the dust has settled and the Governor’s reckless bonding scheme “I-JOBS” is underway, Iowa’s economy continues to tank as unemployment climbs.
…state government continues to grow adding 700 positions in the last year…
On August 21, 2009, Iowa Workforce Development announced Iowa’s unemployment rate has increased yet again, reaching its highest level since 1986. The jobless rate in Iowa is now 6.5%, up from the 6.2% reported last month. Last year at this time Iowa’s unemployment rested at 4.1%. Today, over 109,000 Iowans are out of work, 5,600 more than last month and nearly 40,000 more than one year ago a 57% increase. The manufacturing sector continues to bear the brunt of the impact, shedding 4,800 more jobs in July. Iowa’s manufacturing industry has lost more than 30,000 jobs in the last year. All this announced just prior to the unfortunate news that Cummins Filtration will eliminate 400 filter assembly jobs in Lake Mills and send them to Mexico. While Iowa’s private sector is forced to tighten its belt during these difficult economic times, state government continues to grow adding 700 positions in the last year, 200 last month alone.
Continue reading…
On August 25, the Governor announced that he will pay $300,000 to an out-of-state consulting firm to find new budget savings. The Governor also promised an open process, including seeking public input.
House Republicans quickly pointed out that instead of spending $300,000 of tax money to pay a an out-of-state consultant, the Governor should take advantage of all of the hard work by Republicans earlier this year. In March, Republicans launched a website to gather Iowans’ input on cost-saving measures. Soon after, House Republicans offered these suggestions, among others, such as selling part of the state vehicle fleet and reducing office supplies, which were nearly all rejected by Legislative Democrats.
“Governor Culver is spending money to find solutions that we offered in April,” said House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen. “House Republicans’ list of savings would have increased transparency, brought more accountability to budgeting and reduced unnecessary spending.”
See the savings ideas that were offered by House Republicans in April…
A dizzying display of 100 pages of documents described over a six hour period at the IPERS Investment Board meeting this week boils down to this:
IPERS net worth dropped 18 % in the past year.
In 2008, IPERS showed a portfolio worth $22 billion. Today the portfolio value hovers around $18 billion.
The IPERS Real Estate portfolio, for example, which makes up 9.2 percent of the fund allocation has lost 14 percent with the luxury hotels within the portfolio seeing a 30 percent write down. The IPERS investment advisors touched on the “evidence of stress” in retailer bankruptcies (Circuit City and Linen and Things) and the bankruptcy of General Growth Properties. Disturbing to this sector of the portfolio was the news that the year 2012 is a refinancing year for many commercial, retail and office properties.
The Investment Board questioned the loss of funds through the Westridge fraud case. From March of 2007 through October of 2008, IPERS invested $500 million with Westridge. The market value of those funds today is $291 million.
Of the $291 million, IPERS officials expect that 40 percent of that amount will never be recovered. The federal fraud case pending shows that funds recovered may allow IPERS to recoup 60 percent of the $291 million.
So from a $500 million initial investment, IPERS stands to maybe, possibly recoup
$175 million.
Continue reading…
A bill suggested by House Majority Leader McCarthy would allow Iowa’s 17 state-regulated casinos to add popular card games like poker and blackjack in ballrooms and convention rooms where gambling is currently not allowed. Some of these casinos already have “poker rooms,” but they are too small to hold large poker tournaments. “This is not new gaming; this is existing gaming,” McCarthy said in The Des Moines Register. McCarthy went on to say that this expansion would increase tax revenue for the state. 
State Government | admin | February 2, 2010 | 
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