Quoted in The Des Moines Register, Senate Minortiy Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City has criticized the Democrats’ plan, which he said “dumps a tremendous amount of responsibility on the backs of Iowa businesses.” 

State Republicans propose an end to what they call a “catch and release system” in Iowa.  Angelo told Iowa Independent reporter Doug Burns that this practice makes local law enforcement “angry.”

Below the fold is a short interview with Angelo taped in the State Capital last week.Angelo told the Iowa Independent that the Republican proposal is “more comprehensive” in dealing with undocumented workers.

“This particular bill talks about mandates … our attorney general will negotiate a memorandum of understanding with the federal government in regard to when our local law enforcement picks up illegal aliens they’re going to be put into the federal system and deported ultimately. … “

Angelo said penalties for employers are also in the Republican proposal and would increase after repeat offenses. He listed some of the items in his task force findings:

“The Democratic alternative has basically one proposal and that is that you fine employers heavily if they’ve hired illegal aliens. … “

“We’re going to hire 14 additional troopers [one for] each state trooper district which will deal specifically with illegal immigration issues. There is free training available through the federal government to train local law enforcement in dealing with illegals.

“We’ll cut off all public aid except for emergency aid. We will deny admittance to the universities and we do have penalties for employers that do illegally hire illegal immigrants. But they’re an escalated scale of penalties. …”

Dem-sponsored H.F. 2026 fines corporate officers $10,000 for hiring undocumented workers.

Angelo and his wife, Ames attorney Tara van Brederode, were interviewed for a special Valentine’s Day feature by Iowa Independent reporter Doug Burns last week. 

Culver said his meeting with lawmakers in both parties was productive and focused on stabilizing the state’s economy.

“I was pleased to have a productive, bipartisan meeting with leadership on both sides of the aisle to discuss the state of Iowa’s economy,” said Culver. “I asked the legislature to quickly pass legislation to ensure any federal rebate check Iowans may receive is 100 percent tax-free.”

The announcement by Culver came just hours after the governor told reporters that he was still weighing whether to make the federal rebate, which will amount to $600 for most Iowans, exempt from state taxes. Iowa taxpayers are expected to receive a total of $1.5 billion if the U.S. Senate approves the stimulus plan crafted by the U.S. House of Representatives and the White House.

Culver told reporters that although Iowa’s economy remains strong, he has monitored economic indicators carefully in recent weeks and has been in contact with federal lawmakers as they developed the stimulus package.Culver said Iowa’s economy is in good shape because of the strength of the state’s bio-fuels industry, the expected growth of the wind power industry, the size of cash reserves in state coffers and limited projected growth in his 2009 Fiscal Year Budget.

“This is not a time to be fearful. We have to be optimistic. We have to be vigilant. We have to be strong. There is no reason Iowans should fear this economic situation.”

Culver’s remarks come on the day that President Bush is preparing to outline the federal stimulus plan during a nationally televised address to the nation on Monday night.

Although Iowans have experienced some of the economic problems facing people in other states, bankruptcies in Iowa increased sharply in 2007 and the unemployment rate increased in December for the first time in more than a year. In addition, several Iowa companies announced layoffs or plant closings last year, including Maytag in Newton, Pella Windows in Story City, and a handful of mortgage and insurance companies in central Iowa.

The U.S. Department of Labor said that about 67,000 Iowans are unemployed, a slight increase from a year ago. The number of Iowans working increased by 1,000 but the number of people in the state on unemployment grew by 3,000, the Labor Department said.

Culver’s announcement regarding the plan to exempt rebate checks came just hours after Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City, issued a press release complaining that the governor was doing little to protect the state’s economy. He said Culver was taking a “wait-and-see approach” to dealing with a possible economic downturn.

Wieck said in his press release this morning that the governor’s “wait-and-see approach” is not an option. Wieck called for the governor to be proactive and push for Iowa to create its own economic stimulus package.

“You always prepare for the worst and hope for the best,” Wieck said. “Unfortunately, our governor has forgotten half of that equation. He is only hoping for the best and that’s the easy part.”

In addition to the exemption on federal rebate checks, Wieck called for a reduction in state income taxes and a 50 percent reduction to the budget Culver proposed during his State of the State Address.