This week, legislators to focus on teacher pay
Posted: Monday, April 02, 2007
DES MOINES -- Teacher pay tops the agenda this week in the Iowa General Assembly as Democrats will try to push through a plan they say will move salaries up to 25th in the nation.
This week is also the final funnel deadline, which means bills must pass the House or Senate and pass a committee in the opposite chamber to remain active for the four remaining weeks of the session. The exceptions are tax and spending bills.
The teacher pay plan passed the Senate by a wide margin in early March and is now in the House.
The Senate version of the plan pumped $145 million into teacher salaries over the next two years, which Democrats said would be an average annual pay increase of $2,000 per teacher. The bill also raises pay for other school employees and staff.
"The big picture is increasing teacher salaries to 25th in the country," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines.
He said the House version will include money and a policy outline to try out alternative pay methods at a small number of schools. This is in response to recommendations from the Institute for Tomorrow's Workforce, a panel that former Gov. Tom Vilsack assigned to study teacher pay.
House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said the teacher pay bill is an example Democrats' tendency to micromanage local schools.
"The Democrats in the Legislature apparently thought they were running for statewide school board.
Tensions have run high in the House in recent weeks, with late debate and dueling accusations about how one party or the other is harming the process.
McCarthy said Democrats will take the high road.
"We're going to continue to work in a mainstream way to pass our priorities," he said.
Rants said Democrats will continue to push a radical agenda.
"The Democrat Legislature has hugged the left bank. They are nowhere near the mainstream," he said.
The funnel deadline will be a moment of truth for a proposal to strengthen state oversight of livestock confinements. The bill needs to pass on the House floor and a Senate committee to survive. The other way it can be saved is if Democratic leaders assign it to the committees for tax and spending bills, where the deadline doesn't apply.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the Legislature will pass some kind of environmental legislation, though he doesn't know if it will include rules for livestock confinements.
"I think it's important we focus on results," he said.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net.
This week is also the final funnel deadline, which means bills must pass the House or Senate and pass a committee in the opposite chamber to remain active for the four remaining weeks of the session. The exceptions are tax and spending bills.
The teacher pay plan passed the Senate by a wide margin in early March and is now in the House.
The Senate version of the plan pumped $145 million into teacher salaries over the next two years, which Democrats said would be an average annual pay increase of $2,000 per teacher. The bill also raises pay for other school employees and staff.
"The big picture is increasing teacher salaries to 25th in the country," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines.
He said the House version will include money and a policy outline to try out alternative pay methods at a small number of schools. This is in response to recommendations from the Institute for Tomorrow's Workforce, a panel that former Gov. Tom Vilsack assigned to study teacher pay.
House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said the teacher pay bill is an example Democrats' tendency to micromanage local schools.
"The Democrats in the Legislature apparently thought they were running for statewide school board.
Tensions have run high in the House in recent weeks, with late debate and dueling accusations about how one party or the other is harming the process.
McCarthy said Democrats will take the high road.
"We're going to continue to work in a mainstream way to pass our priorities," he said.
Rants said Democrats will continue to push a radical agenda.
"The Democrat Legislature has hugged the left bank. They are nowhere near the mainstream," he said.
The funnel deadline will be a moment of truth for a proposal to strengthen state oversight of livestock confinements. The bill needs to pass on the House floor and a Senate committee to survive. The other way it can be saved is if Democratic leaders assign it to the committees for tax and spending bills, where the deadline doesn't apply.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the Legislature will pass some kind of environmental legislation, though he doesn't know if it will include rules for livestock confinements.
"I think it's important we focus on results," he said.
Dan Gearino can be reached at 515-243-0138 and dan.gearino@lee.net.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
