|
Committees fire on all cyclinders
By
Mark Zieman, Waukon, Iowa State Senator
|
|
|
Mark Zieman
|
The second week of the legislative
session was shortened to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther
King.
We then hunkered down to work and committees started firing on all
cylinders. Serving as a ranking member on the State Government Committee
has allowed me to monitor bills and help make subcommittee assignments.
I have been questioning how the many campaign promises are going to be
funded. The term "revenue enhancement," has become the new catch
phrase this year. I don't think it is a coincidence that many of the bills
that contain a tax increase use this term. I suspect the result will be the
same, more money taken from hard-working Iowans.
A bill that was assigned to the State Government Committee is particularly
troubling to me. The proposal would repeal the "English as the
official language" legislation that was enacted several years ago.
As the law now stands, it ensures that government business will be
conducted in English, but does not preclude anyone from communicating with
others in another language. This issue is sure to spark much heated debate.
I drafted a proposal that would increase county fair funding by $5,000 per
year. This may seem like an insignificant amount, however, it is a 50
percent increase. Our county fairs are continually working to maintain and
upgrade their facilities and this will help to that end.
My Senate mailbox is filling up with postcards on two subjects, the
right-to-work law and the bottle bill.
The right-to-work issue is just starting to heat up and I suspect it will
come to a full head sometime this session. In the past I have introduced
bills that would ease the laws regarding the bottle bill. The opposing
sides to this bill are far from reaching common ground.
I will participate in two town meetings on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 9 to 10
that morning. I will be at the Farm Bureau in New Hampton. Following that,
at 10:30 a.m. Representative Gipp and I will be at the Winneshiek County
Farm Bureau in Decorah until around noon.
Hope you can join me at one of these locations for an open discussion of
legislative issues and concerns.
|
