Archive: News Clips
July 28, 2010
Kim Reynolds, running for lieutenant governor in Iowa, came into Scott County GOP headquarters Tuesday night full of enthusiasm and energy.
The state senator from Osceola flashed a big smile as she gave her first hug to Judy Davidson, chair of the county’s Republican Party. She then hugged Bill Fennelly, Scott County treasurer, and finished her introductory hugs with Carol Earnhardt, a candidate for the county board of supervisors.
Reynolds is campaigning as half of the GOP’s gubernatorial ticket headed by former Gov. Terry Branstad. She clearly impressed a crowd of about 100 gathered at Scott County Republican headquarters in Davenport.
The 50-year-old — often compared to former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — appeared enthused and happy to see so many people gathered months before the November election.
“I’m energized and encouraged,” she said in a loud, clear voice. “We’re seeing record numbers of people showing up at events like this.”
Reynolds, citing her 14 years as a county treasurer, said she considers herself a hard worker. “But I think I have met my match,” she said, referring… read more →
July 26, 2010
Calling persistent flooding “the new normal,” Iowa Gov. Chet Culver said Monday the state needs to continue investments in flood fighting, and he added his controversial IJOBS initiative is an important part of that strategy.
Meanwhile, the governor’s re-election campaign lashed out at a new web video posted by Republican opponent Terry Branstad that attacks the IJOBS program, saying it’s insensitive to flood victims.
The governor was touring flooded areas in eastern Iowa on Monday, including Maquoketa and Davenport, where he stopped at Modern Woodmen Park.
Davenport has built a sandbag wall at the ballpark to protect it, but it’s planning to erect a $2 million flood protection system that will avert that need in the future. The project, which will utilize a $1 million IJOBs grant, will be built around the front of the stadium.
‘We’re now dealing with a new normal,” Culver told officials and reporters gathered outside the stadium. “We are now dealing with constant flood-related issues. It wasn’t just 2008 where we saw these record flood levels.”
He said the new stadium flood wall is a… read more →
July 26, 2010
OTTUMWA, IA – Former Iowa Governor Terry Branstad made a stop in Ottumwa on Monday as part of his “Truth in Budgeting” tour as he campaigns his way back to the governors office. Accompanying Branstad, and running for Lieutenant Governor, was State Senator Kim Reynolds.
While talking to more than a dozen constituents, Branstad addressed the importance of bringing the government back to the condition it was at when he left office in 1999.
“I left the state with a $900 million surplus and a record number of people employed” said Branstad. “Today we have the biggest unemployment we’ve had in 20 years and a budget with a projected billion dollar deficit. I think I have the experience and the ability to get it back on track.”
Read the full story here.
July 25, 2010
State Sen. Kim Reynolds, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor brought her campaign to Tama Monday with the expected call for a change in Des Moines. A vow to “Bring education back to number one for Iowa” was a major theme.
Reynolds, Osceola, met with supporters at King Tower Cafe at the start of a week-long tour. She said her running mate, former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, is “energized” and said he “is hard to keep up with on the campaign trail.”
Reynolds said they are concerned about “main streets shutting down” and declining populations in rural counties.
Read the full story here.
July 24, 2010
Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad held a copy of Time magazine in front of more than 40 patrons in the Spencer Public Library’s Round Room.
“Time magazine has a percentage estimated shortfall of the budget for the next fiscal year. The number for Iowa is 18.6 percent,” he said, quickly comparing it to percentages of 9.1, 8.5 and 15.5 in California, Massachusetts and New York, respectively before mentioning Illinois and Nevada have worse numbers.
“Today we want to know and identify the problem, propose some solutions and seek your input,” Branstad said, opening his “Truth in Budgeting Tour” stop with Auditor David Vaudt.
The veteran auditor compared expenditures and revenues for governors Robert Ray, Branstad, Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver.
“What you’ll notice very quickly in this chart is under the Branstad administration, revenues and spending stayed pretty much in tune with each other,” Vaudt said.
Branstad added the state “reduced our dependency on property tax” during his 16-year tenure as governor, referencing a school-aid formula change from 80 percent property tax revenue to 40 percent.
In 2007, Iowa spent… read more →
July 23, 2010
Last week, a nonpartisan tax group gave Iowa’s leaders mixed reviews on the state’s fiscal 2011 budget plan.
Ed Wallace, president of the Iowa Taxpayers Association, said the Democrat-controlled Legislature and Gov. Chet Culver violated three key principles of sound budgeting.
One of those “violations” was that the legislative action that “drastically” shifted costs to counties and schools by underfunding state commitments to local property tax credits and K-12 education – a move that likely will push tough decisions on to local elected officials resulting in higher property taxes.
It’s the same conclusion we came to in March and April commentaries, despite a statement sent from Culver’s office that read, in part:
“We worked together to save taxpayer dollars, create jobs and protect our priorities. We’ve kept our promises and, most importantly, we have moved Iowa forward. And, as other states continue to debate how much taxes will increase, we balanced our budget – just as we have done every year since I took office – without raising taxes!”
Yes, that part of the statement actually came with an exclamation… read more →
July 23, 2010
Few jobs are as simple as Lieutenant Governor of Iowa – on paper.
Statutorily speaking, the state’s second in command has few defined duties, other than standing ready to succeed the governor if needed.
But if elected, Kim Reynolds has no intention of limiting her activities to death and impeachment watch.
Reynolds, running mate of GOP gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad, outlined her vision for the state during a campaign stop in Fort Dodge Thursday – part of an 14-city tour that includes a stop in Pocahontas today.
As lieutenant governor, Reynolds said she would draw on her experience in county government – she served 14 years as Clarke County treasurer before being elected to the Iowa Senate in 2008 – to help the state run more efficiently.
According to Reynolds, numerous opportunities exist for state and local governments to cooperate, which could allow services to be provided more efficiently.
“Every time we duplicate and overlap, that’s a cost to the taxpayers,” she said.
During her tenure as Clarke County treasurer, Reynolds helped develop a website accessible to residents of all… read more →
July 22, 2010
FAIRFIELD — Former Gov. Terry Branstad blasted Iowa’s spending habits on Wednesday, saying they are unsustainable and must change.
Branstad’s comments in Fairfield were part of his ongoing campaign tour of Iowa focusing on fiscal responsibility. He is traveling with fellow Republican and State Auditor David Vaudt to discuss what they call the looming “revenue cliff,” and what the state needs to do to avoid severe economic pain.
The pair tag-teamed for much of the presentation in Fairfield, with Vaudt giving a more technical explanation followed by a simile from Branstad to drive home the point. Vaudt said the state has spent more than its revenues for years, funded in part by borrowing. The state’s bonds aren’t a stable source of revenue, he said, and that money runs out in 2012.
Vaudt’s projections show drastically lower revenue when that happens. That means either spending must be slashed or the state will face massive deficits.
“We turned to any other money we could find,” Vaudt said of the past several years.
“We’re breaking every piggy bank,” Branstad agreed.
Branstad compared the… read more →
July 22, 2010
FOREST CITY – Republican candidate for governor Terry Branstad was on familiar streets Saturday morning as he walked in Forest City’s annual Puckerbrush Days parade.
“To come back here has special meaning,” Branstad said. “I’m a graduate of Forest City High School. It’s great to be back.”
Branstad is a 1965 Forest City High School graduate. His class had a float in the parade, a few units up the street from where Branstad took his place in the parade.
Branstad was in town on the heels of some immigration comments he made during the week in Clarinda.
The Des Moines Register quoted Branstad as saying people stopped by law enforcement in Iowa should have to prove their citizenship status. The July 15 Register story also quoted incumbent Democratic Gov. Chet Culver who said Branstad’s idea would put a drain on taxpayers because local law enforcement would pay to detain illegal immigrants in jail.
“If (illegals) commit a crime they should be detained and turned over to the… read more →
July 22, 2010
Political candidates are traveling the state this summer, pointing out their opponents’ shortcomings, shaking hands and kissing babies.
More than 60 people — and none of them babies — listened to former governor Terry Branstad and state auditor David Vaught during their “Truth and Budgeting Tour” stop Wednesday in Keokuk. Both are running on the Republican ticket for governor and auditor respectively.
Armed with charts displaying the state’s financial picture, the two walked the crowd through what they believe is a disastrous financial situation Iowa could be facing soon. One of their charts refers to a $1 billion financial shortfall projected for next year as a cliff that Iowa is fast approaching.
The premise of the “Truth in Budgeting Tour” is that basic problems with the state’s finances are being caused by expenses exceeding revenue and one-time financial resources being used to support ongoing expenses.
Gesturing toward Vaught, Branstad referred to him as the “voice of fiscal responsibility.”
“They haven’t listened to him,” Branstad said. “That’s why Iowa is in the mess it is today.”
The state’s financial picture needs… read more →
