A new May 2010 newsletter is available for viewing. Click the link below to see a PDF version.
Caucus Newsletter May 28, 2010
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Bill Gates invested $335 million last year to find out how to make K-12 teachers more effective. In making the announcement he said, “Unfortunately, it seems the field doesn’t have a clear view of what characterizes good teachers. I’m personally very curious.”
Enter Doug Lemov, a 42-year-old teacher of teachers, and his new book “Teach Like a Champion: The 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College.”
Technique No. 1 is “No Opt Out. How to move students from the blank stare or stubborn shrug to giving the right answer every time.” His book is a dictionary of tips on how to get kids to pay attention in class.
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Two new programs developed by the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) were recently approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The programs will utilize Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds.
The Equipment Reimbursement Assistance Program (ERAP) provides funds to aid in the purchase of equipment for businesses that owned their own building or leased rental space during the 2008 disasters.
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Last week the Department of Transportation presented a draft of the Iowa Transportation Improvement Program (“Five Year Plan”) for 2011–2015 to the Transportation Commission. The plan includes investments in aviation, transit, railroads, trails, and highways. Some of the projects included in the plan simply maintain completion schedules of projects started in previous five year plans. Other monies are spent in an attempt to spur economic development.
One of the biggest sections of the five year plan contains the primary highway investments. State and federal funds totaling $2.3 billion will be spent between 2011 and 2015 on right-of-way acquisitions and construction on Iowa highways. The main components of the highway project is preservation of the existing system and enhanced safety features. More than $1.2 billion is reserved for these specific purposes. The amount of money spent on Iowa highways is still contingent on any revisions in a federal transportation spending bill.
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Iowans who filed their 2009 tax returns by mailing in the paper form have noticed something different this year, it’s been a month since the filing deadline and they have yet to receive their refund. Accordingly, many taxpayers have contacted the Department of Revenue to obtain confirmation their tax return has at least been received and that their refund is in the mail. Unfortunately, unless the return has been manually entered into the system, there is not a way to receive such confirmation. As you can imagine it is causing heartburn in households around the state.
Concerned Iowans are turning to their state legislators with several questions. “Since my return has not been officially received by the Department will I be penalized?” The answer: No, as long as your tax return is postmarked by April 30, 2010 you will not be penalized. And, “where is my refund?” The answer: It’s on it’s way, but it’s been delayed.
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The break out of information from the Iowa Association of School Boards earlier this spring caused a knot in their operations. For a time they were without an executive director, a chief financial officer, and a legal counsel or in other words, their entire executive team. The result of the media and legislative attention has caused the organization to look closely at their operational procedures and make changes accordingly. Here are a number of changes that the association has implemented recently to ensure tighter oversight:
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Numbers represent casinos in Iowa. Star represents the new location.
Only one of four proposed casino projects was given approval at a May 13th meeting of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Lyon County’s proposal was unanimously approved, while proposals from Fort Dodge, Ottumwa, and Tama County were unanimously rejected. The entire evaluation process took approximately six months. It is unlikely that the commission will consider issuing any more licenses for at least three to five years.
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A new May 2010 newsletter is available for viewing. Click the link below to see a PDF version.
Caucus Newsletter May 14, 2010
Included in this edition:
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18,400 jobs lost since I-JOBS signed into law
With President Obama and Governor Culver touring the State of Iowa trumpeting their borrowing schemes as the end to the recession and the fuel that will revitalize the struggling economy, unemployment in Iowa and nationally remains abysmal. If the state and country is in recovery mode – as the Governor and President proclaim – it is a jobless recovery.
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On Friday, April 16, State Auditor David Vaudt released his review of the FY 2011 budget approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.
The Auditor states that the Democrats simply “kicked the can down the road” by using one-time funds and because of that, next year’s Legislature will again face a $1 billion spending gap.
Auditor Vaudt’s criticisms are divided into four areas:
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Increase in Iowa General Fund (State Budget) Expenditures over the last three years:
| Per Second: $10.12
Per Minute: $607.18 Per Hour: $36,431 Per Day: $874,338 Per Week: $6,120,309 Total: $957.4 million |
Methodology: The general fund budget increased by $957.4 million over three fiscal years (FY 2008 through FY 2010). This includes federal stimulus funds that were used to cover increases in general fund spending. This figure comes from the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency (LSA). This figure does not include $52.7 million of FY 2007 supplemental appropriations that were moved into FY 2008 in order to allow the Legislature to increase spending. ($6.297 billion in FY 2010 appropriations minus $5.340 billion in adjusted FY 2007 appropriations.) |
