A non-partisan group of budget experts met last week and they continue to be optimistic about Iowa’s economy, with job growth improving and unemployment claims down. For the current fiscal year (2015), the Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) expects revenues to be $278.4 million higher than last year (FY 2014). They also updated the revenue estimate for [...]
The Legislature will be working on the fiscal year 2016 budget when the new General Assembly convenes in January. At that time, the Legislature will review the budget requests made by the State departments and agencies, as well as the recommendations made by the Governor. Involvement into the budgeting process can actually take place prior to [...]
The state’s non-partisan budget experts met this week and reported the state has a balanced budget with over $1 billion in surplus and reserves. They also expect continued growth and a strong economy through the next fiscal year. Iowa ended fiscal year 2014 with $6.5 billion in revenue with over a $650 million surplus and an [...]
Just a day after approving the education reform bill, House Republicans outlined their shell game to pay for the reforms by taking $20 million from class size reduction funds that Iowa schools already receive. “Raising class sizes in the early grades is a step in the wrong direction and will counter new efforts to improve literacy [...]
House Republicans released their budget for the 2013 year and it hits the state's job creation efforts and education especially hard. Here's the response from House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy: 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 [...]
House Democrats today encouraged Republicans to take quick action on two bills to prevent tuition hikes on national guard members and improve safety at Iowa’s correctional institutions. “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 [...]
Governor Terry Branstad delivered the annual Condition of the State address in a joint session of the Iowa Legislature on Tuesday. Democrats joined the Governor's call for bi-partisan on job creation and helping small businesses. In the photo below, State Representative John Wittneben of Estherville was one of the legislators who escorted Governor Branstad to the [...]
