McKinley Statement on Governor Culver’s Budget Reaction

Governor’s actions leave Iowans headed for massive property tax increase

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Culver’s 10 percent across the board reduction:

“Iowans know that you simply cannot irresponsibly spend more money than you take in and yet Governor Culver and legislative Democrats continually plugged their ears to the Republican warnings about passing unsustainable budgets.

Governor Culver and legislative Democrats chose to deny the existence of their self-created deficits and then vote against common sense Republican amendments aimed at cutting hundreds of millions in waste and now the taxpayers of this state are suffering the consequences of Democrat fiscal mismanagement. Democrats had an opportunity to make responsible reductions earlier and now this action taken by Governor Culver will lead to significantly higher property taxes at a time when Iowans can least afford it.

Senate Republicans recently proposed a constitutional limit on state spending, a 2/3 supermajority vote of both houses of the Legislature to authorize new state borrowing, and a sunset on every state funded program so a thorough review of those programs can be conducted. Iowa does not have a revenue problem – we have a spending problem and Senate Republicans stand ready to again offer solutions to solving the worsening budgetary crisis if Governor Culver and Democrats are finally willing to listen to the taxpayers of Iowa.”

Fiscal Mismanagement, Historic Spending Levels Define Governor

Governor Culver raises taxes on flood victims and teachers

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Whip Steve Kettering (R-Lake View) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Culver’s shifting of funds to pay for the largest budget in state history:

“During the legislative session, Governor Culver forgot about teachers and flood victims by choosing not to couple with federal income tax law. Apparently, the Governor forgot about them again today when he claimed he balanced the budget without raising taxes.”

“Iowans expect an open and honest budget done in broad daylight and not secret deals in back rooms to shift money around to balance the budget.”

“Iowans can expect Senate Republicans to continue to offer smart solutions to curb excessive spending, reduce the size of state government and provide accountability and transparency.”

McKinley Statement on Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate

Iowa Democrats raise taxes and create deficits, then obstruct GOP attempts to create jobs for Iowans

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today in response to the new unemployment rate figures released today by Iowa Workforce Development today showing 114,000 unemployed Iowans:

“Today’s jobless numbers are another unfortunate reminder why Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ agenda of higher taxes on disaster victims, unbalanced budgets, record setting deficits and unpopular $1.7 billion dollar debt schemes is the wrong track for Iowa.

Republicans have offered a series of aggressive job creation initiatives aimed at immediately spurring new employment in Iowa but Democrats said NO and then continued to raise taxes, spend more money, create additional deficits and add decades of debt to the state’s credit card.”

McKinley Statement on New LSA Revenue Numbers

Democrat pattern of deficit denials and record spending not helpful for Iowa’s fiscal future

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today in response to the Legislative Services Agency report that shows revenue coming in over $400 million dollars lower than the previous 12 months:

“Today’s revenue numbers are yet another unfortunate reminder of the fiscal dangers posed to the state by Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ pattern of deficit denials and record spending. Instead of accepting the hundreds of millions in savings offered by Republicans and keeping spending under control as suggested by Republicans, the governor and legislative Democrats continue to spend more money, add more debt and increase taxes all while ignoring the looming budget disaster facing Iowa.”

“Republicans will continue to offer common sense budget savings, we will continue to be a watchdog for the taxpayers of Iowa and we will continue to offer solutions that will get our economy moving, create jobs and get our state’s finances back on track again.”

Grassley comment on President Obama’s Address to Congress

Senator Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member of the Committee on Finance, issued this comment about the President’s address to a Joint Session of Congress regarding health care reform.

“There’s support across the political spectrum for initiatives to make health insurance more affordable and accessible, and we know that legislation has to slow the rate of growth in health care costs, or the situation will get worse instead of better. The speech could have been pivotal for bipartisanship if it had been clear-cut in ruling out the prospect of a new government-run plan. By leaving it up to Congress, where key leaders in both the House and Senate support a government-run plan and control the ultimate outcome, the President passed up a big opportunity.”

McKinley Statement on Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate

2009 session was missed opportunity to grow Iowa’s private sector economy

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today in response to the new 23-year high unemployment rate figures released today by Iowa Workforce Development today showing over 109,000 unemployed Iowans:

“Today’s unemployment numbers are another unfortunate reminder why Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ agenda of higher taxes on disaster victims, unbalanced budgets, record deficits and unpopular billion dollar debt schemes is the wrong direction for Iowa.

While Democrats failed to talk about jobs and instead obstructed Republican legislation that will grow Iowa’s economy during the legislative session, Republicans will continue to offer smart solutions for growing Iowa’s economy and cutting Iowa’s government because our state cannot afford to continue down Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ path of fiscal mismanagement and inexcusable inaction on creating sustainable job opportunities in the private sector.”

McKinley Comments on Governor Culver’s Announcement of More Debt Spending

Governor Culver continues to spend millions of dollars that the next generation of Iowans will pay for

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today in response to Governor Culver’s announcement of more spending paid for by his unpopular billion debt scheme passed by legislative Democrats in the eleventh hour of the 2009 session:

“Once again Governor Culver claims credit for placing Iowa’s taxpayers into unnecessary debt. The only thing this tax, borrow and spend mentality has done is to place Iowa’s next generation into debt – it will certainly not create sustainable jobs that will grow Iowa’s economy and help Iowa families. The ugly truth is that Governor Culver and legislative Democrats opted to spend Iowa’s pay-as-you-go infrastructure account on dozens of pet projects instead of improving and repairing Iowa’s roads and bridges.

Had Governor Culver and legislative Democrats reined in their spending and accepted Republican amendments to dramatically reduce the largest budget in Iowa’s history, Governor Culver’s unpopular I-Debt scheme would not exist.”

McKinley Statement on Iowa’s New Unemployment Rate Figures

2009 session was missed opportunity to grow Iowa’s private sector economy

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today in response to the new 22-year high unemployment rate figures released today by Iowa Workforce Development today showing over 104,000 unemployed Iowans:

“Today’s unemployment numbers are another unfortunate reminder that Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ response to rising unemployment is higher taxes on disaster victims, unbalanced budgets and unpopular billion dollar debt schemes.

While Democrats obstructed Republican legislation that will grow Iowa’s economy during the legislative session, Republicans will continue to offer smart solutions for growing Iowa’s economy and cutting Iowa’s government because our state cannot afford to continue down Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ path of fiscal mismanagement and inexcusable inaction on creating job opportunities in the private sector.”

McKinley Response to Governor Culver’s Debt Sale

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Culver and legislative Democrats’ unpopular debt scheme bond sale:

“Only a debt and spend governor like Chet Culver would believe that Iowa taxpayers will ‘save millions’ after first putting over a billion dollars of debt on the state’s credit card, a scheme so unpopular that 71 percent of Iowans are strongly against it. Governor Culver has disregarded the taxpayers’ money and instead has built up record levels of debt for future generations of Iowans to pay off and is responsible for unbalanced budgets that leave billion dollar deficits.

Iowans are known for their common sense and to a vast majority of Iowans, Governor Culver’s record of fiscal mismanagement has nothing to do with saving taxpayers money and everything to do with record budgets, record spending, record debt, increased taxes and zero action on creating sustainable private sector jobs.”

McKinley Statement on Iowa’s Bond Rating and State’s Fiscal Future

DES MOINES, IA – Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley (R-Chariton) issued the following statement today regarding the State of Iowa’s bond rating and the fiscal future of the state:

“Governor Culver continues to be in denial about the fiscal condition of this state as a result of the massive deficits and unbalanced budgets that he and his Democratic allies in the Legislature have created because of record spending and record borrowing. The governor just put nearly $1.7 billion dollars on the state’s credit card to create temporary government work just a few short months ago and now he is again talking about Iowa’s bond rating again at a time when our state cannot afford to borrow and spend any more of our children and grandchildren’s money.

Republicans will continue to offer responsible spending cuts, will continue to fight burdensome tax increases and will continue to work to create sustainable private sector jobs that will provide a real shot of adrenaline to Iowa’s economy without growing the size and scope of state government.”