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A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Gov. Chet Culver is determined to be remembered as something other than the state’s first incumbent governor in almost half a century to get a pink slip from voters. The governor visited eight venues this week on his “Thank You Iowa” tour, where he laid out what he thinks are the biggest accomplishments of his one-term governorship — protecting education, prodding renewable energy policy and bolstering civil rights.
Meanwhile, Iowa Republicans have outlined their priorities in advance of this year’s legislative session, many of which would dismantle some of Culver’s hallmark policies.
Culver has constantly touted the expansion of preschool during his tenure as well as his commitment to higher education.
“We are number one in America today in terms of investing in our children,” Culver said Thursday in Iowa City. “We have also at the same time invested in education, especially early childhood education. And nearly 25,000 4-year-olds this afternoon are enrolled in an early childhood education program in 325 school districts that weren’t enrolled four years ago. Number one in the nation in terms of expanding access to preschool.”
On the higher education front, Culver pointed out he worked closely with administrators at the University of Iowa to secure millions in federal dollars after the Iowa River submerged the campus in 2008. And last year, when Iowa’s public universities were set to take a big hit from the governor’s across-the-board budget cut, Culver signed a supplemental appropriations bill, channeling $30 million to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa.
But both preschool and higher education could be under attack if House Republicans have their way. Their Taxpayers First proposal would eliminate voluntary preschool and direct the Department of Education to create a voucher program. The Legislative Services Agency says cutting preschool funding would save almost $70 million in FY 2012, but that doesn’t account for funding a voucher program.
The GOP also wants to reduce university library acquisitions, begin the process of combining administrative functions at the three universities, and cancel faculty sabbaticals for 18 months. Republicans say that last move — which Democratic leaders and the Board of Regents have fiercely criticized — will save $6 million but the state estimates that cut will actually only save about $164,690. Additionally, university officials point out faculty use paid leave time to apply for grants which more than offset the cost of their sabbaticals.
Culver has dubbed Iowa the nation’s renewable energy capital. He’s courted green-collar jobs to the state and encouraged environmentally sustainable construction projects, especially after floods in 2008.
“We’re now working with eight companies — wind energy companies that have come from all over the world to Iowa to make the towers and turbines and blades to create these good-paying jobs in our state so that we can continue to be the renewable energy capital of the United States,” Culver said.
Culver’s $100 million Iowa Power Fund creates 400 jobs a year by funding energy reduction projects, but Republicans have talked about cutting that program as well as the Office of Energy Independence, which Culver initiated in 2007. Eliminating that funding would likely curtail the creation of green jobs in Iowa.
“I am here today to tell you that we’re not going to amend the Constitution in a way that’s discriminatory and wrong — not in Iowa,” Culver said. “We’ve made tremendous strides in terms of civil rights. We’ve made our workplaces better in terms of being more welcoming. We’ve passed historic legislation in terms of employment law related to civil rights. We’ve made our schools safer for our kids, enacting anti-bullying legislation for our kids — leading America as one of the first states to pass an anti-bullying law.”
Culver initially opposed gay marriage, saying in January 2008 that if the Supreme Court ruled against marriage being only between one man and one woman, that he would call a special session to “deal with it.” However, he eventually joined other Democratic leaders in pledging to protect same-sex marriage.
Most conservative leaders in the state oppose gay marriage, but they’re split on how vigorously they should pursue the issue. Some are calling to impeach the four remaining Supreme Court justices who helped legalize marriage equality, but Gov.-elect Terry Branstad doesn’t think that’s warranted. Republican lawmakers will likely push a vote on a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage this session, but Democratic control of that chamber means a vote is unlikely.
“I sleep better knowing those folks are still going to be there,” Culver said. “I’m just one voice. You’re still going to have a strong chorus.”
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