The Republican budget will pull the plug on our job creation efforts next year.  House Democrats are committed to strengthening our economy and growing the middle class. We won’t turn our back on economic development efforts to help Iowa Main Street businesses grow while rewarding big Wall Street corporations with over-sized tax breaks that won’t benefit Iowans.

With the future of our economy dependent on a highly-skilled workforce, we also can’t afford to short-change opportunities for Iowans to get the skills they need to land a good-paying job.   We’re going to work with the Senate and Governor Branstad to craft a responsible budget.

Here’s the latest from the Associated Press:

A big jump in a monthly survey index suggests more economic growth is ahead for nine Midwest and Plains states.

The Business Conditions Index rose to 55.9 in January, compared with 50.0 in December.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the December report suggested the region’s economy was slowing down because of debt concerns in Europe and the lukewarm U.S. economy. But he says it appears now that December’s “tepid reading was due to seasonal or nonrecurring factors.”

The survey uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Goss says that any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor.

The survey of supply managers covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

“My top priority will be helping middle class families get ahead. We need good-paying jobs and world class schools,” said Phoenix, a Democrat. “Instead of wasting time on divisive issues, I’ll work to find common ground.”

Phoenix has lived most of his life in Polk County. He worked 12 years for IBM then owned a small business for eleven. He retired from the Iowa DNR Law Enforcement Bureau after 13 years.

“As a small business owner, I understand the challenges that small businesses face. The state must do more to help businesses grow and expand,” added Phoenix.

John and his wife, Diana, married 40 years, live in Ankeny as do their son, daughter, and grandson. They attend Highland Park Christian Church, where John has been a deacon and Financial Secretary.

Phoenix has served as president and member of the Des Moines School Board and member of the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Board. John is a member of AFSCME retirees. He has served as a union steward and executive board member.

For more information visit: www.phoenixforhouse.com.

Here’s the latest from Radio Iowa’s Kay Henderson:

$1.3 million set aside for Guard tuition grants (audio)

January 26, 2012 By O. Kay Henderson

The Iowa House has given final legislative approval to an emergency allotment of $1.3 million that will cover tuition costs for Iowa National Guard soldiers who’ve enrolled in college courses.

Representative Chris Hall, a Democrat from Sioux City, has heard from a number of soldiers in his district who saw their individual benefits cut by $1300 for this semester.

“During the first week of the legislature, I know that I received emails from several of our Guardsmen from the 185th Air Refueling Wing,” Hall says.

Representative Jerry Kearns, a Democrat from Keokuk, says this fulfills a promise made to those soldiers.

“I would have been happy to act on this last week and (get) it out of the way, but I’m very pleased we’re here today acting on it,” Kearns says.

The Iowa Senate approved the bill last week, but Republicans delayed action in the Iowa House to ensure that the Guard indeed needed that much money to fulfill its tuition grant promises. Representative Royd Chambers, a Republican from Sheldon who is a member of the Iowa Air National Guard, says Republicans were just doing their “due dilligence” in checking the numbers.

“We are, of course, all in support of supporting our National Guard members,” Chambers says. “But we also must remember that we are responsible for spending our tax dollars wisely and efficiently.”

Representative John Wittneben, a Democrat from Estherville, says legislators set aside money for the program last year, but that was before about 3000 Iowa National Guard soldiers came back to Iowa after active duty in Afghanistan.

“It’s awful hard to appropriate these dollars when you don’t know how many are going to be returning and taking advantage of this education (grant),” Wittneben says.

The Guard announced in December that Education Assistance grants to its soldiers would be cut because there wasn’t enough money set aside to cover the tuition grants for the 1400 Iowa National Guard soldiers who’re enrolled in college. Governor Branstad has indicated he’ll sign the legislation.

In other action this morning, the Iowa House approved spending $3 million in state money to help restore the USS Iowa, a World War II era battleship that will be docked in Los Angeles as a floating museum. The Iowa Senate approved that level of spending on the project last week.

Bearinger teaches agriculture and biology at Jesup High School and has previously worked as the Education Director for ISU Extension in Buchanan County. He is also the FFA Advisor for Jesup High School and helps with a variety of community services, including farm safety, environmental projects, and charity events.

“It’s time for strong leadership at the statehouse that will put the partisanship aside and get things done for Iowa. I’ll work to find common ground on the key issues we face and keep focused on putting Iowans back to work while helping the middle class grow,” said Bearinger.

On the city council, Bearinger serves on the economic development finance committee, works on local food initiatives, and is helping develop a health and wellness survey for Oelwein. He has been a teacher in Oelwein, was a member of the Oelwein Jaycees, and a donor to the Fine Arts Guild in Oelwein.

Bearinger helped launch the Heartland Acres Agribition Center in Independence and served on its first Board of Directors. While working for ISU Extension, he also served on the Buchanan County Food Pantry Board and the Coop Board. He has also worked with the Maynard Coop.

“I’ve worked with community leaders and citizens from across the district and I’m ready to serve them in the Iowa House,” said Bearinger. “Our local economies are rooted in agriculture and there is more the state must do to strengthen our economy and bring jobs to our communities.”

Bearinger and his wife, Eileen, have lived in Oelwein for 19 years and are active at Sacred Heath Catholic Church. His wife works at Fidelity Bank and they have two children. Their son, Kurt, plays basketball at Luther College in Decorah and their daughter Rachel is a sophomore at Oelwein High School. Bearinger is a graduate of Iowa State University and earned a masters in professional agriculture.

Iowa’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 5.6 percent in December, the lowest level reported since June 2009. The current rate compares with 5.7 percent for November, and 6.1 percent for December 2010. The U.S. unemployment rate dropped for the fourth straight month in December to 8.5 percent. The November rate was revised to 8.7 percent, and the December 2010 rate stood at 9.4 percent.

“The state’s economy ended 2011 in a better place than was expected just a few months ago,” said Teresa Wahlert, director of Iowa Workforce Development. “Both the labor force and total employment are beginning to trend upward, and the unemployment rate has fallen considerably below the 6.0 percent mark.”

The statewide estimate of unemployed persons fell to 93,500 in December from 94,700 in November. The level of unemployed persons stood at 102,600 one year ago.

The total number of working Iowans increased to 1,565,500 in December from 1,562,000 in November. Iowa’s measure of total employment began to increase in November after declining since May.

“We need to invest in workforce training and help more Iowans get the skills they need for 21^st century jobs.  Iowa is known for our quality education and highly-skilled workforce, but we can’t afford to move backwards when the jobs of tomorrow require more training than ever,” said State Representative Phyllis Thede of Bettendorf.

According to the Iowa Department of Education, tuition at Iowa’s community colleges is 60% higher than the national average.  Under Governor Branstad’s proposed budget, community colleges would be cut by a total of $6 million from last year.  Reductions proposed by the Governor in worker training efforts include a $2 million reduction in the Workforce Training Fund and a $5 million reduction to the Accelerated Careers Education (ACE).

“With over 100,000 Iowans enrolled across Iowa, community colleges play a key role in training our workforce statewide.  If businesses are going to expand or locate in Iowa, we must have a skilled workforce that can meet their needs.  Middle class Iowa families depend on affordable community college tuition to get the additional training that helps them land good-paying jobs,” said Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco.

“As we begin to put together the budget, we’re going to work together with our Republican colleagues to grow our skilled workforce and bring more jobs to Iowa,” added Thede.

The Legislators also encouraged Iowans to sign an on-line petition in support of Iowa’s community colleges and students at www.iowahouse.org/communitycollege.

Here is the latest from the Cedar Rapids Gazzette-

As the challenges of the past 10 years – including its largest deployment since World War II — new challenges are emerging for the Iowa National Guard on the home front.

With the exception of 90 members of the Guard and Air Guard, for the first time since 2001 the Iowa Guard has no units currently deployed overseas, Major General Timothy Orr, the commander of the Iowa National Guard told the Legislature Wednesdya.

More than 7,000 Iowa Guard soldiers and airmen have served in support of U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan valiantly and without faltering, Orr said.

“They carried out their duties day-in and day-out, many on multiple deployments, to ensure mission success,” Orr said in his annual Condition of the Guard address.

Their service came with a price – nearly two dozen Guardsmen died and hundreds suffered wounds and injuries, Orr reminded the lawmakers.

Now that the citizen-soldiers have returned, they face an unemployment rate of 10 percent and those returning to college have lost as much as $1,300 a semester in tuition assistance, Orr said.

A record number of applicants for education assistance combined with flat state funding and rising tuition caused the Guard to reduce the award amounts to ensure all qualified applicants get some financial support, according to a Guard spokesman.

Lawmakers are taking swift action Wednesday to remedy the latter problem. The Senate plans to take Senate File 2007 to make a $1.3 million supplemental appropriation to cover those tuitions costs. It will increase the tuition assistance from $3,186,233 to $4,486,233 to pick up the tuition costs for Guard members enrolled in college this semester.

Orr said that each year approximately 1,100 to 1,200 Guard members attend Iowa universities and colleges through the tuition assistance program.

The program is vital to recruitment and retention of members in the Guard and in Iowa, Orr said.

“Without it we couldn’t have mustered the necessary personnel to meet our overseas and in-state mobilization requirem3ents over the last 15 years,” he said.

It also keeps those men and women in Iowa, he added, “and through their service in the Iowa National Guard helps deepen their Iowa roots.”

Overcoming the unemployment challenge may not be as easy.

Most Guard members return from deployment to pickup where they left off, Orr said.

“They return to work, go back to the farm, enroll in school or pursue new opportunities,” he said. “However, some find the transition difficult.”

The Guard is working with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve as well as Iowa Workforce Development to help Guard members and their spouses find employment.

Orr also spoke of the Guard’s other missions, to Kosovo, for example, as well as their involvement in flood relief in western Iowa that “demonstrate the performance and promise of your hometown military.

“Regardless of the challenge, we will remain ‘Always Ready and Always There’” for Iowans and the country, Orr said.

“House Democrats are ready to take swift action this week and stop the tuition hike on national guard members. We are ready to work with Republicans and get the bill to the Governor’s desk before we return home for the weekend,” said Rep. Tyler Olson, D-Cedar Rapids, who leads Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee. “With most Iowa students already back at college for the spring semester, we need to take quick action to restore their tuition assistance before it’s too late.”

In December, the Iowa National Guard announced it would reduce awards for the Education Assistance Program from 90% to 50% because of high enrollment.

“Over the interim, we’ve heard from many Iowans with concerns about safety at our correctional institutions,” added Olson. “As legislators, we have an obligation to ensure the safety of workers in dangerous situations as well as protecting the general public from criminals.”

Olson said both bills will be filed tomorrow.