Dems' priority will be flood, storm relief
By Charlotte Eby, Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Thursday, November 13, 2008
DES MOINES -- Democrats in the Iowa House emerged from a meeting Wednesday saying one of their top priorities in the coming session will be to help Iowans recover from devastating floods and storms that hit the state earlier this year.
House leaders are creating a new committee charged with flood and storm recovery. They'll consider recommendations made by a special commission appointed by Gov. Chet Culver to oversee rebuilding from this year's natural disasters.
"We want to make sure that we help Iowa communities recover from the disasters that occurred this summer," said Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque.
Democrats widened their majority in last Tuesday's election to what they believe will be a 56-44 split. Recounts are expected in a handful of close races.
At their meeting in Des Moines Wednesday, House Democrats re-elected Murphy to his post and chose Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines and Speaker Pro Tem Polly Bukta of Clinton to continue in their roles.
Chosen as assistant majority leaders were Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston and Rep. John Whitaker of Hillsboro.
Lawmakers in the coming session will face budget challenges as a slowing national economy has also slowed state revenues, but House leaders said there are no plans for tax increases.
McCarthy said about $500 million to $700 million of built-in spending increases in next year's budget will outpace revenues, but said that's happened in prior years as well.
McCarthy said the focus will once again be on education, health care and renewable energy spending initiatives as they pare their wish list to balance the state budget.
"Our challenge this year is to make sure that in what could be a very tight budget year, we try to maintain those commitments and continue to focus on the issues that Iowans care about," McCarthy said.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at 515-243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
House leaders are creating a new committee charged with flood and storm recovery. They'll consider recommendations made by a special commission appointed by Gov. Chet Culver to oversee rebuilding from this year's natural disasters.
"We want to make sure that we help Iowa communities recover from the disasters that occurred this summer," said Speaker Pat Murphy of Dubuque.
Democrats widened their majority in last Tuesday's election to what they believe will be a 56-44 split. Recounts are expected in a handful of close races.
At their meeting in Des Moines Wednesday, House Democrats re-elected Murphy to his post and chose Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines and Speaker Pro Tem Polly Bukta of Clinton to continue in their roles.
Chosen as assistant majority leaders were Rep. Elesha Gayman of Davenport, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad of Des Moines, Rep. Mike Reasoner of Creston and Rep. John Whitaker of Hillsboro.
Lawmakers in the coming session will face budget challenges as a slowing national economy has also slowed state revenues, but House leaders said there are no plans for tax increases.
McCarthy said about $500 million to $700 million of built-in spending increases in next year's budget will outpace revenues, but said that's happened in prior years as well.
McCarthy said the focus will once again be on education, health care and renewable energy spending initiatives as they pare their wish list to balance the state budget.
"Our challenge this year is to make sure that in what could be a very tight budget year, we try to maintain those commitments and continue to focus on the issues that Iowans care about," McCarthy said.
Charlotte Eby can be reached at 515-243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.
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