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BEHN REPORT: Becoming Less Like New York City

Did you know Iowa’s commercial and industrial property taxes are on par with downtown New York City?

In fact, we have the second highest property taxes in the nation! 

Our property tax system has become a huge impediment to job creation and business growth in Iowa. 

The simple truth is that property tax reform is long overdue as substantial changes to our system have not been made in decades. 

Without action this year, hardworking Iowa taxpayers will experience a $1.3 billion dollar increase. 

I think you will agree, this is unacceptable. 

The good news is that legislative Democrats have finally joined legislative Republicans in the talking about property tax relief. 

Now we just need to take action. 

Both parties have proposals but most of the details are still being worked out. 

However, the chart below provides a brief overview of the philosophical differences between the two parties on property tax relief. 

Republican Philosophy	Democrat Philosophy
Aggressive broad based property tax relief that benefits all classes of property	Limited tax credits that allows for the picking of winners and losers
Gradual annual roll back so Iowans are consistently being taxed at a smaller percentage of their property valuations each year	Little or no focus on a property tax roll back will mean higher taxes as property valuations rise
Make tax relief automatic and provide fewer bureaucratic headaches	Require a handwritten application in order to receive consideration
Cap local government spending and provide some financial assistance to local governments over the next several years to help residential taxpayers from receiving a raw deal	No limit on the growth of local government spending and no approach to stop the anticipated growth of residential property taxes

Clearly, Iowans expect both parties to work together. 

Senate Republicans remain optimistic that a common sense solution can be found that will help re-open Iowa for job creation and career development. 

Our state is filled with unlimited potential and authentic and aggressive property tax reform would allow us to realize our opportunities sooner rather than later. 

We do not want to be like New York City.  We want to be competitive. 

We need property tax reform.  Let’s make it happen. 

As always, I welcome hearing from you and can be reached by phone at 515-281-3560 or by e-mail at Jerry.Behn@legis.iowa.gov

Jerry Behn
Senate Republican Leader
www.facebook.com/JerryBehn
www.twitter.com/JerryBehn

Rep. Kraig Paulsen: Making Progress on the Budget

From The Speaker Of The House

This week in the House we approved the first bill of the 2012 Legislative session, House File 2042, legislation to require all administrative rules created by state agencies to be accompanied by a ‘Jobs Impact Statement’.   During these difficult economic times, we must not let cumbersome bureaucratic rules create uncertainty and add unnecessary expenses on Iowa’s employers. 
 
HF 2042 is just one of many pro-job, pro-growth bills that the House is working on this year.  We are committed to creating policies that put Iowans back to work.  The best way to put Iowans back to work is to advance policies that create an environment that encourages employers to keep and create jobs right here in Iowa.
 
We are also making progress on the state budget as the budget subcommittees have begun the process of going through each budget, line by line.  House Republicans are committed to making sure state government is efficient and effective.  As we continue our work on the budget, there are a few important guidelines House Republicans will follow.

House Republicans rely on several commonsense budgeting principles:
We will align ongoing spending with ongoing revenue. Iowans cannot afford a government that spends more money than it takes in.  Anything less jeopardizes Iowa’s long-term economic health.
 
We will end the practice of using one-time money for ongoing expenses.  This is not how
Iowans balance their own checkbooks at home and it’s not how House Republicans will balance the state checkbook in Des Moines.
 
We will not intentionally underfund entitlement programs.  House Republicans will protect education and Medicaid by getting the budget under control.
 
The House Republican 2012 Budget Targets Will Reflect a Long-Term Approach
As House Republicans begin to construct budgets, we will be keeping the long-term future of Iowa in mind.  The past-practices of overspending in one budget year and then slashing budgets with across the board cuts the next year only leads to more uncertainty and instability, hurting Iowans and employers.
 
The General Assembly has a history of increasing government spending and using budget tricks to spend more than the state has in ongoing revenue.  Repeating this history means in a few years legislators will be dealing with the same problems.  House Republicans are committed to passing budgets that are fact-based and accountable to Iowans and not returning to the bad budgeting practices of the past.

The governor has constructed a budget which spends less than the state has in ongoing revenue.  House Republicans believe this is a good start but will continue to seek savings and efficiencies to provide Iowans with the certainty they need to plan for the long-term. 
 
Controlling Government Spending and Creating Jobs Go Hand in Hand:
Iowa’s employers need a commitment from the Legislature to keep government from spending more than it takes in.  Spending more than the state receives will lead to tax increases for Iowans and employers.  They need the certainty that this will not happen.
 
Our plan of action is to have a responsible state budget that contributes instead of takes away from economic, family and community health.  Hard-working Iowans want opportunities for quality jobs that will develop into careers.  They desire the peace of mind to plan for their futures.
 
I look forward to the progress being made on the budget and giving Iowans a budget they deserve and expect – one that uses their tax dollars wisely.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at kraig.paulsen@legis.state.ia.us or my office at (515) 281-3521

Don't forget to visit the House Republicans' homepage for new updates.  www.iowahouserepublicans.com

You can also find us on twitter @iahouserepubs

Newsmax: Romney Backed by Goldman Sachs, Bailout Banks

The top donor to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's presidential campaign, investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs, received over $10 billion in emergency lending and bailouts from the Federal Reserve after the 2008 financial meltdown, according to public sources and published reports.

Goldman backed Obama for election in 2008, and the firm, like many Wall Street institutions, is now backing Mitt Romney for president.

Romney has long had a close relationship with Goldman Sachs. In 1999 Romney purchased initial IPO shares in Goldman that netted him $1.1 million in profits when he sold them in 2010. And The New York Times recently reported that "many of the assets in Romney's blind trust" are managed by Goldman.

Today, Goldman is Romney's largest donor. And nine of Romney's top 20 campaign contributors are big Wall Street Banks like Goldman. But Goldman leads all Romney contributors, having donated $357,200 to his campaign, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And six of those nine top contributors received over $161 billion in taxpayer bailouts, reports ProPublica, the independent, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative organization.

Goldman doesn't contribute directly to candidates like Romney, but does so through its employees.

Romney's ties to Goldman have already become a campaign issue. During Thursday's CNN debate, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich stated that Romney profited from millions he invested in a Goldman Sachs fund that relied heavily on investments in the mortgage-backed securities linked to the 2008 implosion on Wall Street. Romney said he personally didn't direct the investment, which he said was made through his trust.

Still, Romney's close ties with Goldman will continue to nag his campaign.

ProPublica says that the The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., received over $782 million in emergency lending from the Federal Reserve. On Jan. 17, the investigative site reported that the total of taxpayer bailouts received by Goldman tallied a whopping $10 billion.

The relationship between Goldman and Romney goes far beyond its patronage of his campaign. The firm has reportedly managed significant assets of Romney's in his blind trust.

Note: Do You Support Gingrich or Romney? Vote in Urgent Poll - Click Here Now

New festival brings beer enthusiasts to Coralville

Ben Lange provides FEC with an update

By Mike Thayer

It's amazing what a couple of articles can do....

Back on January 19, I wrote an article about there being a void in Iowa's First Congressional District, that the GOP hopefuls Rod Blum (an announced candidate) and Ben Lange ( in exploratory committee status) were making some mistakes that Republicans just can't afford to make if they hope to defeat liberal incumbent Bruce Braley in November. 

I also noted in that article how Ben Lange, never closed out his 2010 campaign account with the FEC, that he still had some campaign cash on hand from that losing run against Braley.

In a review of the FEC site today, it seems that Lange has now updated the FEC, morphing his 2010 campaign account into the 2012 election cycle.  It's a sure indicator that he plans to run.  He didn't have to do that until January 31, so it's reasonable to conclude that the spotlight placed by yours truly on his recent mistakes - at the very least sloppiness - with FEC rules and regulations prompted him to move forward with the update.

The content on his website still says, "Ben Lange 2012 Exploratory Campaign" even though the url address for the site reads, http://www.langeforcongress.com/, a statement of candidacy.

So does this mean Ben has officially filed as a candiate you ask?

No.  If you click the link, http://www.fec.gov/disclosurehs/HSCandList.do you'll see that his name is not hot-linked like Rod Blum's and Bruce Braley's are, indicating that Lange has not yet filed an FEC Form 1 and FEC Form 2 declaring himself a candidate as well as providing campaign structure information.  

He'll get around to declaring himself a candidate at some point, perhaps after he comes clean about blowing off FEC rules and guidelines clearly distinguishing the differences between testing the waters and outright campaigning.

Related story:  http://coralvillecourier.typepad.com/community/2012/01/vetting-ben-lange-in-iowas-first-district.html

Hey Ben, you're welcome.  It's better that this comes out now, so you can fix the mistakes you've made.  But frankly, you've been there and done that, you're a lawyer, you shouldn't have ignored rules and put yourself into a situation like this in the first place.

The voters in Iowa's First District don't want sloppy candidates, they deserve better.

Vetting Rod Blum in Iowa's First Congressional District

By Mike Thayer

Does Rod Blum have what it takes to win the Republican nomination, let alone take on Bruce Braley in November?

As it stands right now, the answer is no.

The last time I wrote about Blum, it was January 19 and I stated the following:

Rod Blum of Dubuque, Iowa is an announced candidate.  He's got a campaign website, he submitted paperwork with the Federal Election Commission as an official candidate, although the information he filed was inadequate according to the FEC.  Perhaps just a rookie mistake....  The FEC letter requesting more information wanted a response back from Blum by December 28.  He didn't meet that deadline, there is no update from him in the record.   That's a problem.

That problem has since been corrected.  Kudos to Blum.  Paperwork now seems to be squared away so chalk it up to a rookie mistake.

I also wrote that Blum didn't have any campaign cash.  His FEC report displayed a "0" when I checked on January 19, and granted, Blum didn't have to report his financial status until January 31, but he has updated that with the FEC as well.

Blum has since reported generating about $71,000 in campaign cash for the fourth quarter of 2011.  He has some money in the bank, however upon closer review, about $22,000 of that came from his own pocket and another $20,000 from his family.  That's not a good sign and it's only about slightly less than 15 percent of what Bruce Braley has in his campaign warchest, and Blum needs to spend money on a primary race first.

I had the opportunity to meet Rod Blum personally and listen to him speak at a Republican Central Committee meeting in Clayton County on January 26.  He told a nice About Rod Blum story, complete with talking point one-liners like, "I'll term limit myself," and "This bailout stuff has got to stop," and "Everything you hear about the EPA, it's true."  The problem with that is, it all lacked detail.  When pressed on the issues he mentioned during an approximately 20 minute speech and question/answer period, Blum really didn't provide any direct answers beyond expressing his belief.  It's fine to convey a belief in personal responsibility, but people want to know how a candidate is going to address the fraud, waste and abuse that exists in the Food Stamp program for example.  Blum didn't respond well to those kinds of questions, he lacked detail, specifics, a plan of action.  In fact, at one point he even said, "Any candidate that tells you they have a plan, it has zero chance of passing."

Um, Rod, candidates that win in the general election, get assigned to committees after being sworn in.  In committee, they have the chance to put their plans out for review and debate.  If they're not on an appropriate committee to put a particular plan on display, they can still push their plan with other congressmen or they can co-sponsor and/or help write legislation outside their committee assignments.   So to Rod's slam on having a plan comment I would say this, any candidate that doesn't have a plan, has a zero chance of winning!

Blum did have some good Ron Paul-like one-liner moments during his speech.

"A dependent voter is a dependable vote," he said when characterizing Democrat motives and questionable leadership.  That comment was spot on.

Then there's this beauty when talking about illegal immigration:

"If fences don't matter, then why do they have a fence around the White House?" he said, drawing laughter and nods of approval from the audience.

Blum, a businessman, tells a nice story and seems to be a good guy.  But he's going to have to do better when it comes to doing what it takes to finance his campaign and he's going to have to provide much more substance and detail to voters.  Here's a hint:  Doing the latter might help the former. 

Iowa House sheds light on Coralville TIF shenanigans

Kudos to Charlotte Walker for forwarding the following information and link.  After reading the story, be sure to click the three informational links at the bottom of the page.

Government Oversight-Coralville use of TIF Funds

Coralville City Administrator Kelly Hayworth was brought before the House Government Oversight committee last Thursday. The committee members raised questions regarding the way the city is using tax increment financing in its Iowa River Landing commercial development.

Retail growth in Coralville has exponentially grown since the city began using TIF in 1998 to develop land that is now Coral Ridge Mall. The city has borrowed over $200 million in bonds to be repaid by tax increment financing

Read On.....  http://www.iowahouserepublicans.com/government-oversight-coralville-use-of-tif-funds#more-11622

Documents presented to the committee:

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/LSA/SC_MaterialsDist/2012/SDMAS001.PDF

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/LSA/SC_MaterialsDist/2012/SDMAS003.PDF

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/LSA/SC_MaterialsDist/2012/SDMAS004.PDF

 

Ben Lange shouldn't listen to Chris Reed

You have to wonder how smart a congressional candidate is, if he's accepting the advice of Chris Reed. ~ Mike Thayer

An exclusive Sick Of Spin Video: Vetting Ben Lange in Iowa's First District

By Mike Thayer

If Ben Lange - a lawyer from Independence and potential Congressional candidate - can't handle a political blogger from Coralville, how is he going to deal with reporters in Washington D.C.? 

First District voters need to ask if their signatures on the nomination petitions Ben Lange put out on Caucus night are any good now, because he wasn't at the time an officially declared Congressional candidate.  The whole process might have to be done over again.  Lange is a lawyer, he's been there and done the congressional race thing.  It looks like he wasted voter efforts and not to mention volunteer efforts by blowing off FEC rules.  The First District deserves better.

Related story:  http://coralvillecourier.typepad.com/community/2012/01/a-filing-deadline-has-passed-are-congressional-candidates-rod-blum-and-ben-lange-violating-the-law.html 

Related story:  http://coralvillecourier.typepad.com/community/2012/01/a-decision-that-was-only-to-take-a-few-weeks-turns-to-more-than-3-months-for-ben-lange.html

Related story:  http://coralvillecourier.typepad.com/community/2012/01/another-sloppy-ben-lange-mistake.html

The importance of properly vetting political candidates

By Mike Thayer

So what does vetting actually mean exactly? 

The term comes from horse racing, the act of a veterinarian examining horses, making sure they are healthy enough to run a race. The job of the veterinarian isn't just about checking the general condition of the horse either.  It goes deeper than that.  The veterinarian also evaluates for illegal substances and assesses risk.  A veterinarian can scratch a horse from the race.

A political race is really no different than a horse race.  Consider the primary season, where political parties go through the process of determining their nominee for a governor race, a senate seat, the presidency.  Candidates are the horses, that's obvious, so who are the veterinarians?  Party activists.   For the most part, the party faithful examine the horses, to see if they're healthy enough to run.  Activists evaluate risk, review backgrounds, analyze flaws and assess the lies.  Party activists, scratch horses from the race.

That's what's supposed to happen anyway.  The final act of that party activism is voting and it's a duty that must be taken seriously.  Unfortunately not enough people do so.    Another problem:  Of those people that do vote, they aren't as informed as they need to be - many, are not even close to being properly informed.  In other words, we don't have enough veterinarians evaluating horses and of those veterinarians checking out horses, some of them don't know enough to be good pet owners, let alone be assessors of political health.   

I can't stress enough the importance of really knowing everything possible about a candidate, that the truth must be told about every candidate.  It doesn't matter if it's for the position of dog catcher or president.  In order to make a truly informed vote, everything possible must be learned about a candidate.  We can't ignore anything, it must all be looked at.  Why do you think we have the current problems we have at all levels of government?  Because far to many veterinarians, er, party activists don't do thorough evaluations.  What a shiny coat, or, he seems to be the most electable simply isn't good enough.  That's like saying, that horse looks fast.  You need to KNOW, a vote is too important to be guessing at.   

To me, properly vetting a political candidate is a more important duty than the vote.  The vote is the part where the doctor is putting the stethoscope away.    The important part is when the stethoscope and the gloves are put on, not taken off, the important part is in the examination, determining the truth.....  The vetting.

People who don't care to be real activists and just cast a vote in the name of participating in the political process are nothing more than casual fans placing bets at the horse track.  That's a description for the general election to be sure.  And I'm only writing what many of you are already thinking when I state; I'd rather not have uninformed people casting votes. 

John McCain anyone?    

Ladies and gentlemen we can no longer afford to treat the political arena like a horse track.   I'll ask again, why do you think we have the current problems we have at all levels of government?  Because too many people aren't taking the job of voting, seriously enough.  We're not examining the candidates as intensely as we should be, we're not demanding details and more importantly the truth.  It's not enough to hear a candidate say they are for or against something.  We need to know what a candidate's plan is to fix a problem.  We need to hear a candidate's actual proposal to take something that's working for people and expand on it.   It's not enough to hear a candidate say they believe in the American Dream, we need to hear what their plan of action is for maintaining it!  Mr. Candidate, you have a nice looking family, but this isn't a photo op, I respectfully don't want stories about how Democrats have straddled your kids with debt.  We all know that already.   I want details, plans of action.  You say you want to lower the nation's debt and that sounds great, but just how are you going to go about doing that?  Cut spending?  How exactly?  Get with peers and form a coalition?  Use the media and voter pressure against opposition to persuade?  Negotiate an exchange of some kind?  What?  All I hear are shallow talking points, give us details please.

When a candidate doesn't answer our questions with a straight forward and direct answer, we need to put the rubber gloves on.  I know that's not a pretty visual, but if we're to truly examine candidates, it MUST be done.  Otherwise, we'll find ourselves stuck at the track, watching the same old horses, placing the same losing bets.  We need to ask candidates tough, probing questions, give them a thorough examination.

Put the rubber gloves on, it's the only way to get better government.