Senator Charles Grassley Endorsed by Huck PAC

I am pleased to endorse my good friend, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley for re-election to the United States Senate. Chuck Grassley has earned our support. He is a common sense conservative who works hard to promote our values of low taxes and limited government in Washington. I know that we can count on Chuck Grassley to continue his rigorous government oversight. He is a leader when it comes to shedding light on the federal bureaucracy and bringing transparency to the people’s business.

Senator Grassley is a native Iowan. He has been active in politics since 1959, serving in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1959 until 1974, when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served three terms. He was first elected to the United States Senate in 1980 and is presently 11th in seniority in the Senate. In fact, he recently cast his 10,000th vote……

Read the rest of Governor Mike Huckabee’s endorsement here.

Steve King: Amend Iowa Constitution

From The Des Moines Register.

In unanimously creating a “right” to “same-sex marriage,” the seven justices of Iowa’s Supreme Court substituted their own flexible and evolving notions of due process for the well-thought-out and constitutional judgment of Iowans. They abandoned the words and wisdom of centuries of natural, Roman, common and Iowa law.

The Iowa Constitution contains no reference to same-sex marriage. And, to protect against exactly this judicial activism, the Iowa Legislature passed…

Read the rest of the article here.

Paulsen Issues Statement on Governor’s Vetoes

(DES MOINES)—House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) today issued the following statement in response to Governor Culver’s recent vetoes and budget bill signings:

“After all the talk of budget cuts and not raising taxes, it’s very regrettable the governor failed to use his veto pen to protect Iowans’ pocketbooks. This governor just finished signing significant overspending and what amounts to the largest general fund spending in the history of Iowa. Furthermore, it raises multiple fees and will definitely result in Iowans paying more in property taxes. During these tough economic times we should be looking for ways to help Iowans keep more of their money.”

Fact Check:

SF 478, the Standings Appropriations bill, included a provision to allow a city to assess a franchise fee based upon a percentage of gross revenues generated from sales of the franchisee within the city not to exceed 5%. Franchise fees collected shall be credited to the franchise fee account within the city’s general fund.

SF 465 increased the filing fee in the each county recorders’ office by $2 per document in order to redact a social security number and credit card number off land records.

SF 218 Allowable Growth for FY11. The property tax increase will be $58 million.

SF 81 created $30 million in new property taxing authority for Iowa schools.

Sen. McKinley: Eleventh Hour Vetoes Show Iowans That Governor Culver Has Wrong Priorities

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley issued the following statement today after Governor Culver vetoed important taxpayer protections, cost savings and transparency initiatives and then failed to trim the largest budget in the 163 year history of the state which will leave Iowa with over a $900 million dollar deficit next year:

“It is unfortunate that Governor Culver again sided with bureaucrats and business as usual instead of the taxpayer and transparency this week with his last minute vetoes. Instead of using his line item veto authority to make needed and necessary budget cuts to the largest budget in the 163 year history of the state, Governor Culver used his veto pen to strike the rare cost saving measures enacted by this legislature that would have provided more transparency and reformed state government.

Iowans deserve real leadership and real reform and Republicans are ready, able and willing to ensure that this state’s fiscal health is restored and more accountability, responsibility and oversight is re-established.”

Huckabee to Keynote Vander Plaats’ Event

Mike Huckabee to Keynote Vander Plaats’ Event in Spirit Lake on June 10

SIOUX CITY – Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose stunning victory in Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses fueled a strong bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, will be the keynote speaker at a June 10 fundraising event in Spirit Lake for likely 2010 gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats.

“If the old saying that you’re known by the company you keep is true, I couldn’t be more proud than to be associated with Mike Huckabee,” said Vander Plaats, a Sioux City businessman who served as Iowa chairman for Huckabee’s presidential campaign. “Iowans love Mike Huckabee and they respect his common-sense approach to politics and public policy that favors Main Street over Wall Street. I’m thrilled that he will be coming back to Iowa and headlining our event.”

Called “An Evening of Politics In The Park,” the Vander Plaats event will begin at 4:30 p.m. and the program will start at 5:00 p.m. at Arnolds Park, 243 W. Broadway St., Spirit Lake.

“I’ve called Bob Vander Plaats ‘the next governor of Iowa’ on many occasions and I’ve done it deliberately and with good reason,” Huckabee said. “Bob Vander Plaats is an exceptional leader with the kind of everyday, real-world experience in education, human services and the private sector that will be so valuable to the taxpayers of Iowa as he works to reform Iowa’s state government. That’s why I’d like to see him win next year and that’s why I hope Iowans will join us in Spirit Lake on June 10.”

Huckabee, who served more than 10 years as governor of Arkansas, is the author of six books, a sought-after public speaker and currently hosts the Fox News program, “Huckabee.”

Tickets for the event cost $100.

To RSVP to the event, please visit our donation page and indicate in the notes section that your payment is for the Spirit Lake/Huckabee Event. Reserve your place with Mike Huckabee and Bob Vander Plaats today!

For additional information about the event or to join the host committee, Contact Tim Dusenbery at tim.dusenbery@teamvp2010.com.

Iowa State Auditor Budget Update

Steve King Calls For a New House Speaker

CULVER’S I-JOBS PLAN WILL BE “THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON TAKING FOR YEARS TO COME,” VANDER PLAATS WARNS

SIOUX CITY – Gov. Chet Culver’s much-ballyhooed I-Jobs tour is “nothing more than an attempt to buy re-election next year by making Iowans pay hundreds of millions of dollars over the next two decades,” Sioux City Republican Bob Vander Plaats said today.

“It’s ironic but perfectly appropriate that Chet Culver would travel to Marshalltown to bluster about starting a recovery with a plan that will cost Iowans twice as much it puts into the economy and creates far fewer jobs than he promised. That’s because this is the same governor where his total lack of leadership cost Marshalltown more than 1,500 jobs, millions in economic activity and substantial tax revenue because Alliant Energy canceled plans in March to build a $1.8 billion utility plant there.”

He added, “People in Marshalltown know firsthand the domino effect of lost opportunities that have resulted from Chet Culver’s mismanagement. They know his announcement to rebuild the Iowa Veterans Home at a cost of $22.5 million is a drop in the bucket compared to the economic activity he cost them – and they’re not going to forget it.”

Culver had claimed his borrow-and-build plan would create or retain as many as 30,000 jobs. David Swenson, an Iowa State University economics professor, calculates the number will be approximately 4,050, according to The Des Moines Register.

More than 70 percent of Iowans said the state shouldn’t borrow money for Culver’s borrow-and-spend plan but the first-term Democrat was undeterred. Instead, he forced passage of a plan that borrows $830 million and will require Iowans to pay back $1.7 billion in principal, interest and other costs.

“Why should we be surprised? This is a governor who presided over a 17-percent increase in state spending his first two years in office and worked to increase spending again this year while giving us the biggest budget in Iowa history,” Vander Plaats said. “He may buy some jobs now but it will be the Iowans who will be working the next 20 years who have to pay the bill. The I-JOBS program is the gift that will keep on taking for Iowa taxpayers. More than rebuilding Iowa’s infrastructure, Chet Culver thinks it will rebuild his image so he can win another term. Iowans aren’t that shortsighted and Chet Culver is going to learn that for himself next year.”

Release: Culver to Celebrate Massive Debt

Strawn: Governor Culver, Massive Debt No Cause for Celebration

Des Moines, IA – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn today said the state’s failed leadership will again be on display tomorrow as Governor Chet Culver will embark on signing ceremonies to celebrate taking the state into debt and sticking Iowa taxpayers with a $1.7 billion tab.

“This is another example of Culver’s failed leadership. Massive debt spending and wildly exaggerated job creation claims do not make sound economic policy,” said Strawn, noting media reports that show the Governor has inflated the number of temporary jobs created by his proposal as much as 700%.

Of the $830 million the state will borrow, $715 million of that will go to Culver’s so-called “I-JOBS” program. Media reports clearly show the Governor greatly exaggerated the number of jobs the spending will stimulate. In fact, ISU economics professor David Swenson told the Des Moines Register the program will only create about 4,050 jobs – not the 30,000 as Culver has wildly claimed. Professor Swenson also reported the program is creating construction jobs that will be temporary. Unfortunately for Iowa workers and taxpayers, those jobs will be long gone before Iowans finish paying off the massive debt.

Strawn, himself a small business owner, said, “Unfortunately, until we have new legislative leaders and a Governor who understands that small businesses and risk-taking entrepreneurs — not state government — create long-term sustainable jobs, Iowa’s economy will continue to suffer.”

Release: GOP Calls on Culver to Use Veto Pen

Strawn: Culver Can Restore Education Cuts, Use Veto Pen
Iowa GOP says cut earmarks, and outlines over $17 million in potential savings

Des Moines, IA. – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn today called on Governor Chet Culver to use his veto pen and place the needs of Iowa’s school children ahead of legislative earmarks, including nearly $800,000 to spruce up his own residence in Des Moines.

“A budget is a statement of priorities. Unfortunately, Iowa school districts were shortchanged because Democrat leaders had more pressing pet projects, such as sprucing up the Governor’s mansion, $3.5 million in recreational trails, and $3 million in passenger rail service,” Strawn said, referring to the failure of Democrat lawmakers to fund a key $14 million teacher pay provision in the standings bill (SF 478) while spending millions of dollars on questionable earmarks in separate legislation (HF 822).

Today, the Republican Party of Iowa outlined over $17 million in potential savings in spending legislation that currently sits on Culver’s desk for signature into law.

“I challenge Governor Culver to show leadership by using his line item veto authority to stand up to this free-spending Democrat majority,” Strawn said.

“Iowans are courageously coping with extremely tight budgets of their own. As families make tough choices about how to spend their limited resources, they expect lawmakers to make those same difficult spending decisions,” Strawn said. “Instead, in marathon sessions that lasted until early morning hours, Democrats voted to put repairs to the Governor’s mansion ahead of investments in education.”

Below is a list of items from HF 822 that could be postponed or eliminated to save over $17 million in next year’s state budget.

 

Budget Item
Dollars Appropriated for FY 2010

 

Terrace Hill Preservation and Restoration

769,543

 

Historical Preservation Grant Program

1,000,000

 

Great Places Initiative

1,900,000

 

Community Cultural Grants

200,000

 

Regional Sports Authorities

500,000

 

Warren County Juvenile Courthouse Renovation

100,000

 

Fire Station Improvements – Muscatine Fire Dept.

200,000

 

Independence Mental Health Institute

200,000

 

Water Trails and Low Head Dam Programs

800,000

 

Hungry Canyons Alliance

100,000

 

Gold Star Museum – Camp Dodge

1,000,000

 

Davenport Aviation Readiness Center

2,000,000

 

Mount Pleasant Readiness Center

1,000,000

 

Passenger Rail Service

3,000,000

 

Recreational Trails

3,500,000

 

Iowa Flood Center (University of Iowa)

1,300,000

 

Total:

$17,569,543

 

Source: Legislative Fiscal Agency

 

“During this economic slump, sometimes worthwhile projects have to wait. We can proudly say not a single Republican legislator voted to end this important education program or support the additional expenditures on the Governor’s mansion. Republicans have their priorities in the right place,” Strawn concluded.

# # #

SF 478 – Standings bill approved by the Legislature in the final weekend of the 2009 Session (failed to include an appropriation for the Phase I teacher pay program).

HF 822 – Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund bill approved by the Legislature in the final weekend of the 2009 Session (included the appropriation for the Terrace Hill improvements).