With the Rebuild Iowa Commission shifting its focus toward the long-term needs of the disaster recovery effort, the chances of a special legislative session being called have gone from slim to none.

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver (photo courtesy of flood2008.iowa.gov)

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver addressing the media shortly after flood waters began to rise (photo courtesy of flood2008.iowa.gov).

Gov. Chet Culver has repeatedly said he reserves the right to call lawmakers back to Des Moines should it become necessary, but most believe if that were going to happen, it would have happened already.

Culver received near-universal praise in the days and weeks following the worst of the flooding in June. Even now, a recent poll by The Des Moines Register found 60 percent of Iowans approve of the job Culver is doing.

But despite the governor’s assurances that a special session is not needed, many of those in flood-damaged areas  can’t understand why legislators haven’t been called back into session. Their concerns are buttressed by recent reports that the majority of federal money could still be months, not weeks, away.

As an editorial in the Cedar Rapids Gazette put it, “Skipping a special session sends a curious message to folks in this part of the state who are still up to their rolled-up sleeves in recovery work. If we don’t need our legislature on the job now, when do we need them?”

Those affected by the disaster fear that instead of legislators being focused solely on recovery, as they would be during a special session, the needs of those still struggling could be thrown into the pile of issues facing the Legislature in a regular session. The typical crowded legislative agenda, critics argue, could mean waiting until March for the state to fully act.

Cities, counties and school districts are searching for answers about property taxes so they can certify their budgets by mid-March. Legislators could provide property tax breaks to affected businesses and homeowners while also helping local governments make up funding gaps.

Special session proponents fear that the governor’s assistance programs could fail to fill all the short-term gaps left by federal programs, especially if delays in federal funds persist. The biggest chunk of federal aid could still be months away, and winter is quickly approaching. The state’s cash reserves, estimated at around $600 million, could be dipped into to ensure all needs are met before the Legislature comes back into full session in January.

The main argument made against a special session is that it would serve no function. Culver has said he already has the authority to redirect state money to assist in disaster recovery. On Sept. 12 he announced the “Jumpstart Iowa” program, a $40 million assistance fund to help homeowners and small businesses in the short term while federal aid is pending.

Then just this week Culver announced another $73 million in reallocated money from state agencies they would have spent next year that can be redirected to flood assistance.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has already approved the state’s $85 million recovery plan, with $60 million for housing needs, $10 million to fund forgivable loans for affected businesses and nearly $11 million for public infrastructure projects.

Culver has said these steps to get state and federal help moving to businesses, homeowners and other victims should serve as a bridge until the Legislature reconvenes in regular session and billions of dollars in a federal aid package approved by Congress become available. Damage totals in Iowa alone have been estimated at around $8 billion.

Another big reason not to call a special session is politics. There are less than 40 days before crucial legislative elections, and the last thing a Democratic governor wants to do is give Republicans a soap box while the whole state is watching.

Getting 150 lawmakers to come back to Des Moines is simple. All the governor has to do is ask. Getting them to leave, however, is another story. In what’s shaping up to be a big year for Democrats, with most expecting gains in both the House and Senate, what if GOP lawmakers were to try for a Hail Mary? There’s no shortage of controversial issues that Democrats would much rather save until after voters have spoken. When campaigns hope to be touting the successes of Democratic control of the Legislature, they could easily get pulled into a debate over same-sex marriage or the statewide smoking ban.

That’s the kind of risk Democrats would take if a special session were called.

In the coming weeks and months, as Iowa slips into winter, the speed of federal money reaching those still in distress will determine whether Culver was correct in his decision not to call lawmakers into session. One way or another, history will be the judge.

For a timeline of events in the debate over a special session, click here.