Capitol Comments
Veterans Day on the Hill
Hundreds of veterans, along with family members, were at the State Capitol on Wednesday for Veterans Day on the Hill. Throughout the day, veterans met with legislators to discuss their priorities and those of the Veterans Coalition. The Coalition is a group of representatives from veterans’ organizations across Iowa who work collectively to advance policy ideas to assist Iowa veterans and their families.
A ceremony was held in the rotunda to honor veterans and other service members. Speakers included the Director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Col. Robert King, the Chair of the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs, George Goebel, MG Timothy Orr of the Iowa National Guard, and members of the Legislature.
Throughout this year’s legislative session, the Veterans Committees in the House and Senate will review the proposals that the Coalition brings forward. I am honored to be serving my 5th year as a member of the House Veterans Committee and look forward to their proposals.
Investing in Iowa’s Future
Strong Iowa schools and great teachers are crucial to a world-class education that gives our students opportunities for a good life, prepares our students for good family-sustaining jobs, and strengthens our communities.
Business leaders say Iowa’s shortage of skilled workers hurts their ability to grow and operate competitively. Our state’s continued economic success also depends on support for Iowa students and schools, at all levels.
Other states and nations know that the high-wage, high-skill economies are built on a foundation of great local schools, and they’ve committed the necessary resources to support those schools. While other states are investing more to increase student achievement, Iowa is falling further behind in its commitment to public schools and its future – Iowa’s children.
On average, we invest $1,612 less per student than the national average. We are currently 35th in the nation and falling, with our spending-per-student dropping by almost 12 percent between 2008 and 2014. Today, the Governor’s budget proposes the 2nd lowest percentage of supplemental aid in the state’s history.
Support for our local schools has become an increasingly partisan issue, and it could continue to get worse. Governor Branstad and the Republican-controlled Iowa House have released proposals for school funding for the next two years. Their proposals provide little support to help our schools keep up with inflation, let alone compete with other states.
This week, a survey of Iowa school superintendents reports that the Governor’s budget would directly impact student achievement. The Governor’s budget will result in fired teachers, overcrowded classrooms, outdated textbooks and fewer choices for Iowa students. In fact, all but one survey respondent said that they oppose the Governor’s plan to provide less than 1 percent in additional state aid to schools for the 2015-16 school year.
When superintendents were asked what the impact would be on their students, 75 percent said they would increase class sizes, 74 percent said they would fire teachers, 71 percent said they would delay buying new classroom materials, and 70 percent said they would reduce course offerings.
School superintendents believe that the Branstad budget would limit the opportunities of tens of thousands of Iowa students.
The Legislature needs to honor its commitment to great schools, to higher student achievement and increased teacher quality by sending the Governor an adequate supplemental aid bill of 6 percent.
Public Hearing on School Aid
Wednesday, all of the Democratic members of the House Education Committee, including myself, requested a special public hearing at the State Capitol to gather input from Iowans on the Republican school funding plans.
Nearly every education stakeholder has registered their opposition to the inadequate school funding in the Republican plan for 2016 & 2017. Local school board members, superintendents, school administrators, teachers and parents have all indicated that it will negatively impact student achievement in more than 200 school districts statewide by creating larger class sizes, reduction in teaching staff, and elimination of course offering for students. Stakeholders have asked the legislature for 6% supplemental funding – not 1.25%.
Education is an Iowa priority and I am hopeful that all of you, who are passionate about investing in our children’s future, will come to the hearing in the Iowa House and voice your concerns. It is important that legislators from each party hear the input from Iowans before the full vote in the Iowa House.
The Special Public Hearing on K-12 school funding is scheduled for next Monday, January 26, at 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm here at the State Capitol, in room G16 (old Supreme Court room). This is an opportunity for you, personally, to give direct testimony of up to 3 minutes to Iowa legislators about the impact the Republican school funding plan would have on our children and our schools.
If you would like to speak you can sign up by calling 515-281-5129 or by clicking this link: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/publicHearings?meetingID=17371&action=viewOnlineSignup. Testimony can also be submitted on-line at the link above if you are unable to attend in person.
-Representative Art Staed
It was a very meaningful and moving event at the 25th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr service held at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church this evening. During the ceremony, constituent and friend, Dedric Doolin, was honored with the Percy and Lileah Harris “Who is My Neighbor?” Award. Dedric is a life-long Cedar Rapidian who has been involved in the fight for equal rights for over 30 years. His caring, compassionate work in our community is exemplified by serving as CR NAACP Branch President, mentoring youth at his church, serving as Senior Deputy Director at ASAC, helping to organize the annual “I’ll Make Me A World In Iowa” (This is a diverse collaboration of Iowans, which highlights African-American arts, culture and contributions through education, awareness and preservation during an annual enrichment celebration and with continual educational outreach. 15,000 people attend each year.), and his activism addressing the high rate of incarcerated African Americans in Iowa’s prisons.
Congratulations, Dedric, on this well-deserved award!
[Always impressed and uplifted by the beautiful singing of Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church Men’s Chorus, pictured above.]
Discussing proposed music therapy legislation with Rep. Kevin Koester, Sen Jeff Danielson and several music therapist from across the state: Jenny Denk, Lucy Schipper, Stephanie Johnson, and Crystal Berkenes. I’m hopeful we can see more traction this session on the bill that would create state licensure and uniformity for the profession.
Ric Lumbard, Executive Director at Iowa Communications Network, giving an explanation of FirstNet and Broadband Matters. The purpose of the broadband campaign is threefold: 1. To educate the public on the availability of broadband services 2. To foster the understanding of the need for broadband and the role it plays in Iowa’ s future and 3. To propel the entire statewide broadband conversation, even beyond the reach of ICN. Learn more at www.broadbandmatters.com.
It’s like a ray of sunshine on an overcast day when folks from home come to the Capitol! I really enjoyed visiting with Michelle Michalec and Joe Stutler at the IA Commission for People with Disabilities legislative reception. The Commission was established to to promote the employment of Iowans with disabilities and reduce barriers to employment. As one in ten working-age persons has a disability, this is a valuable resource. Nearly one in five of civilian veterans in this same age range (21-64) have a VA service connected disability.
Mary Chavez of Reinbeck and Michelle serve on the Commission and Joe is a member of the Iowa Democratic Party Disability Caucus.
More info on the Commission here: http://www.humanrights.iowa.gov/pd/index.html
Veterans Day on the Hill! Don Tyne has served as Linn County Director of Veterans Affairs since 2002. He retired as a lieutenant colonel from the Army Reserve after 34 years of service. He served three years active duty as an enlisted soldier. Don served as a captain during Desert Storm. Thank you, Don, for your service to our country and to our community!
Today, Don is asking for legislation to protect veterans from companies who are seeking them and charging for services that the VA county service offices will do for free. The bill would require these companies to disclose this fact.
Matt Brown of Iowa Student Loan demonstrated an interactive literacy tool designed to help students with college financial planning. This is a service that we legislators had requested when we saw the need for students to get a realistic picture of the costs involved and loans/grants available to offset these expenditures. These tools will help predict a student’s future earnings in a chosen profession and calculate how long it may take to pay off student loans. Check it out here:www.iowastudentloan.org/gameplan
Cedar Rapids Edgewood Road Hy-Vee Store Manager, Tracy Kading, greeted us warmly at the Hy-Vee legislative reception. We discussed a myriad of topics related to the grocery business; such as buying local produce, organic foods, hiring persons with disabilities, recycling, and giving back to the community. From what I see as a legislator and a customer, Hy-Vee understands their connection and their responsibility to the communities it serves. Thank you, Tracy, for the conversation. ..and the delicious samplings of Hy-Vee foods!
Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol and it was wonderful to visit with Iowans involved in encouraging community involvement! Cedar Rapidians, Mike Pearson and Sue Driscoll (Manager of Volunteer Engagement at United Way of East Central Iowa), both serve as Commissioners for Volunteer Iowa. Shirley Burgess is the Volunteer Engagement Officer at United Way of Central Iowa. Sue said it well, “Many of our local community events and nonprofit organizations such as United Way, the Catherine McAuley Center, Horizons and HACAP simply would not be as successful or able to provide the much needed services in the community without committed volunteers.” The Commission is asking the legislature to: increase service opportunities by enacting a council on national service in Iowa, maintain services provided by the Commission, and improve the system for volunteer background checks.
“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a
year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you
want to live in.” ~ Marjorie Moore
Kirkwood Community College representatives: Carla Andorf, Director of Skills to Employment; Mialisa Wright, Coordinator at the Dean of Students Office; and Steve Scott Ovel, Govt Relations Director, spoke with legislators today about the P.A.C.E. program. MIalisa spoke about her completion of the Pathways for Academic Career Education and Employment program and is a perfect example of its success. The training program, P.A.C.E., was created in 2011 to fill the skills gap, and has an 88% completion rate. It was launched in partnership with local businesses, United Way of East Central Iowa and community- based organizations to fill middle-skill positions for in-demand job fields. It’s exciting to hear of its huge positive impact on students and our communities in such a short time!
Gathering for a meeting in Hiawatha with local Farm Bureau members. Some of their priorities are: fully funding the state’s commitment to K-12 education, which in turn could help reduce local property taxes by more than 7%; provide mental health services and address the mental health funding system; increase the state’s fuel tax to provide $215 million dollars annually, which is required just to meet the needs of Iowa’s crumbling roads and bridges; increase the state’s Water Quality Initiative Program from $4.4 million dollars to $7.5 million dollars; increase funding for the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy – the popular, voluntary, cost sharing program; continue closing the agricultural drainage wells; and continue supports for research in the bio-economy at our universities. As you can see, the Farm Bureau has a huge role in promoting quality of life for urban and rural Iowans. I appreciated our local bureau’s input this morning and look forward to accomplishing our common goals.
For me, the best part of legislative forums, is the opportunity to visit one-on-one and listen to voters share their perspectives and experiences. Visiting here with Robin Tucker and Richard Bradford.
At the AEA 10 Region Education Legislative Forum, discussing supplemental aid (allowable growth), teacher leadership initiative and school start date. Every single school district felt that the governor’s budget for public schools was grossly inadequate and will lead to teacher and staff cuts, even larger class sizes and reduction in course opportunities. If the legislature approves this insufficient investment level, Iowa’s students will suffer. This is not designed for improvements in achievement, nor providing world-class education.
Third and final forum last Saturday was with the local United Labor Alliance. Enjoyed discussions about investments in education, increasing minimum wage, mental health, Corridor public transportation, and local job creation including a CR casino. Great meeting with lots of input!
If you can’t attend one of the legislative forums, I welcome home visits as well (with an appointment, please : ) Great to have an informal discussion this afternoon with constituents Dan Slife and Sunny Story on a myriad of topics. Thank you for your input, Dan and Sunny!
Continue Reading the Statehouse News
To read the rest of my Statehouse News go to:http://iowahouse.org/StatehouseNews/1-23-15
