Republican leaders in the legislature say they are worried that the Democrat-controlled state government will continue on its spending spree without any regard for the taxpayers of Iowa.

Although lawmakers have a full-agenda of issues facing them this year, House Minority Leader Christopher Rants said he doesn’t expect gay marriage to get much attention.

Republicans have shone a spotlight on the issue since last August, when a district court judge ruled that a previously approved marriage law was unconstitutional. The issue will be appealed in the Iowa Supreme Court later this year.

“We’re going to waste a lot of time on issues that aren’t nearly as important,” Rants, a Sioux City Republican said. “All I’m asking of the Democratic leadership is for one hour of debate time to explore the value of traditional marriage and to find out why they think this is something the court should decide.”

House Speaker Patrick Murphy, D-Dubuque, told reporters he thinks the legislature should let the issue wend its way through the judicial process before taking it on.“We don’t see the courts in here trying to subvert the legislature,” Murphy said. “So we shouldn’t be trying to subvert the judicial process, either.”

Rants used his opening day remarks to criticize Democrats for their lack of progress last year on several fronts, including their inability to adopt performance standards for schools and inaction on changes to the tax system.

“Property taxpayers are right to be worried – no, not worried – angry about their tax bill,” Rants said in his address to the House on Monday morning. “Last year they heard promise after promise that something would be done and every promise was broken.”

Rants and Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck told reporters in a briefing that they expect Gov. Chet Culver to unveil a new list of spending proposals when he gives his State of the State Address on Tuesday morning. (The address, scheduled for 10 a.m., will be carried live on Iowa Public Television).

McCarthy, in his opening remarks, said his party intends to find ways to curb illegal immigration by penalizing employers, balancing the state budget, improving educational standards and concentrating on various environmental issues.

“If we can work together we can continue to deliver positive things for Iowa,” McCarthy said in his remarks. “Last year we made great strides in education, health care, and renewable energy. This year we are perfectly poised to maintain that progress, if we have the will to do so, and we can maintain that progress while still balancing the budget.”