Posts Tagged ‘mary mascher’
Author: deanfiihr Published: December 10th, 2010
House Democrats Appoint Budget Team
House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy and Assistant Democratic Leaders Ako Abdul-Samad, Mary Mascher, Mark Smith, and Sharon Steckman today announced their budget team for the 2011 legislative session. State Representative Tyler Olson of Cedar Rapids will be the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
In addition to Rep. Olson, the following members will serve as the Ranking Member of the appropriations subcommittees:
- Administration & Regulation: Rep. Mary Gaskill
- Agriculture & Natural Resources: Rep-elect Chris Hall
- Economic Development: Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt
- Education: Rep. Cindy Winckler
- Health & Human Services: Rep. Lisa Heddens
- Justice Systems: Rep. Todd Taylor
- Transportation, Infrastructure & Capitals: Rep. Dennis Cohoon
Tags: Ako Abdul-Samad, Budget Subcommittees, chris hall, Cindy Winckler, Dennis Cohoon, Kevin McCarthy, Kirsten Running-Marquardt, Lisa Heddens, mark smith, Mary Gaskill, mary mascher, Ranking Members, Sharon Steckman, Todd Taylor
Category 2011 Session Information, Featured, Recent News |
Author: deanfiihr Published: December 6th, 2010
Iowa House Democrats elected State Representative Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines as the new House Democratic Leader today in a meeting at the State Capitol in Des Moines.
House Democrats are committed to strengthening our economy and helping create jobs. We will work together on the main stream, bread and butter issues that effect the every day lives of Iowans. However, if Republicans steer to more extreme policies at the expense of ordinary Iowans, we will make our voices heard.
Democrats also elected four Assistant Democratic Leaders who include: Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines, Rep. Mark Smith of Marshalltown, Rep. Sharon Steckman of Mason City, and Rep. Mary Mascher of Iowa City.
There are seven new House Democrats who were elected earlier this month: Chris Hall of Sioux City, John Wittneben of Estherville, Dan Kelley of Newton, Dan Muhlbauer of Crawford County, Mary Wolfe of Clinton, Ruth Ann Gaines of Des Moines, and Anesa Kajtazovic of Waterloo. House Democrats will gather again in December to plan for the 2011 legislative session.
Tags: Ako Abdul-Samad, Kevin McCarthy, mark smith, mary mascher, Sharon Steckman
Category 2011 Session Information, Featured, Recent News |
Author: deanfiihr Published: February 16th, 2010
On a unanimous vote, the Iowa House today approved another piece of the government reorganization initiative that boosts savings so far to $272 million. As the national recession cause a steep decline in state revenues, the reorganization effort was launched last year to help balance the state budget while preserving Iowans’ priorities in education, jobs, and health care.
“The government reorganization effort approved today eliminates waste and saves millions of dollars for Iowa taxpayers. From cost-saving measures to making state government more efficient to improving the services that the state offers, our reorganization efforts so far this year total $272 million and makes our state stronger and more responsive,” said State Representative Mary Mascher of Iowa City, who won approval of the bill.
The goal of Senate File 2088 is to create more accountability for taxpayer dollars and eliminate wasteful spending by consolidating agencies and delivering services to Iowans more efficiently. Last fall, Governor Culver used his executive authority to implement $88 million in cost saving measures and last week he signed an early retirement package for state employees into law that saved an additional $60 million. The massive reorganization plan approved today is estimated to save taxpayers an additional $124 million next year, bringing the total savings from reorganization efforts to $272 million.
The bill is one of the largest initiatives in state history at 350 pages and contains over 50 different ideas, both large and small. It eliminates 14 different boards and commissions, reduces energy costs, combines state purchasing, cuts down on middle management to keep front line workers in their jobs, and consolidates information technology.
The bill now returns to the Senate.
Tags: Budget, government reorganization, Jobs, mary mascher, savings
Category 2010 Session Information, Budget |
Author: deanfiihr Published: January 15th, 2010
In just the first week of the 2010 legislative session, the Iowa House has already approved a package of education initiatives to strengthen k-12 schools and protect local property taxpayers. Governor Culver signed the legislation just two hours after it passed the House.
“Despite these tough times, we won’t give up on ensuring every kid in Iowa gets a quality education. The initiative we approved today could bring up to $175 million to Iowa k-12 schools to improve student achievement and make sure our kids graduate with the skills they need to compete in today’s global economy,” said State Representative Roger Wendt of Sioux City, who chairs the House Education Committee.
Senate File 2033 includes a host of changes to Iowa’s K-12 school system to help Iowa compete for up to $175 million in Race to the Top funds. Another bill approved, House File 2030, will benefit Iowa property tax payers by ensuring school districts spend down their cash reserves before raising property taxes.
“Middle class families are struggling to make ends meet and this will help ease the burden on Iowa tax payers. It’s just common sense for school districts to spend down their reserves before asking property taxpayers to foot the bill,” said State Representative Mary Mascher of Iowa City.
Requested by schools last fall, two other bills approved by the Iowa House on Friday will delay setting the school aid formula schools by one year, instead of setting it two years in advance.
Tags: mary mascher, Race to the Top, Roger Wendt
Category 2010 Session Information, Education |
Author: deanfiihr Published: January 14th, 2010
Today the two leaders of the Legislature’s Government Reorganization Committee released the first draft of legislation that will transform Iowa’s state government for the first time in almost 25 years.
“According to nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau estimates, these reforms will save tens of millions of dollars,” said State Representative Mary Mascher, chair of the House State Government Committee. “Every dollar we save is a dollar that we don’t need to cut from essential services to people in need. The simple truth, however, is that we should never put off rethinking how we do things and increasing state government efficiency and accountability.”
“We are on track to pass legislation that will ensure that state government will provide better services to Iowans, cut government bureaucracy, and save taxpayers’ dollars,” said Sen. Staci Appel, chair of the Senate State Government Committee. “These proposals closely follow the bipartisan, unanimous recommendations of the State Government Reorganization Commission and include a majority of Governor Culver’s public works proposals. Iowa’s leaders are working together to make bold changes that will also help balance the budget.”
The proposed legislation, SSB 3030, includes e-government innovations, purchasing consolidation and the merger of several state agencies.
The co-chairs said that passage of the ambitious package of reforms is on every legislator’s list of must-do bills.
“Change isn’t easy,” Appel said. “But if we keep listening more to Iowa taxpayers instead of the special interests and government bureaucrats, I believe the Legislature will end up overwhelmingly supporting these reforms.”
The legislation will first be considered by Appel’s Senate State Government Committee. After it is approved by the committee and the Senate as whole, the next stop will be Mascher’s House State Government Committee.
Tags: government reorganization, mary mascher, State Government
Category 2010 Session Information, Budget |
