Governor Culver addressed the Legislature today with his Condition of the State Address. The House Republicans respond:

• The first priority for Republicans is disaster relief and we’re excited to work with the governor and Democrats to swiftly write legislation that creates real help for our small businesses so they are able to open their doors faster, and for our families to help them get back in their homes and back to work.
• Republicans are skeptical of the governor’s request to borrow more money to spend on various projects. Borrowing money after you’ve already spent too much is the exact cause of the national financial meltdown.
• Republicans believe the governor and legislature should accept responsibility for creating most of the fiscal mess the state is experiencing. It is not the fault of President Bush, Congressional Democrats in Washington, greedy Wall Street bankers or the natural disasters. We must be clear—the state faces a $779 million shortfall – but when we left last May we had a $563 million shortfall. That shortfall was caused by a lack of discipline and a failure of duties with Iowans’ dollars.
• We cannot rely on the federal government to bail us out. It’s time to take responsibility for the share of the financial mess that is ours. Republicans will dive into budgets to find cost-saving measures and bring truth and transparency to state government.
• Republicans appreciate that Governor Culver has left out of his agenda plans to weaken Iowa’s Right to Work law and resurrect the flawed and troubling expansion of collective bargaining.

Also responding is the new Republican Party of Iowa Chair, Matt Strawn:

RPI Chairman responds to Condition of the State address

(Des Moines) – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn released the following statement on the Governor’s Condition of the State address:

“Governor, all Iowans agree that politics has no place in rebuilding our communities devastated by last year’s natural disasters. Rebuilding our state is a team effort, but one that requires leadership – - unfortunately, Iowans did not see any today.

As a son of an elementary school teacher, I’d give Governor Culver’s speech an “incomplete” grade. There was no explanation for how to fix our state’s $600 million deficit. There was not a single mention of protecting traditional marriage. There was not a single mention of real tax relief for struggling Iowa families.

Iowans cannot afford two more years without leadership from a majority party that has put this state in debt to the tune of $600 million, and yet, some want to borrow more money. Why? Pay raises for union bosses? More lobbyists for state agencies?

The time has come to stop political paybacks, stop overspending our state budget, stop raising taxes and fees, eliminate pork barrel spending, and provide real solutions to the financial problems the Democrats have put us in.

Iowans need real leadership in these troubled times and I can guarantee you our Republican leaders will be on the front lines providing it.”

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