House Journal: Page 7: Monday, January 8, 1996

4. Iowa is a relatively safe place to live - that is, until
someone you know is a victim of a crime. We must keep criminals
off the street; and because of our overcrowded prison system, we
should authorize a new 750-bed medium security prison to make
sure we can keep the criminals out of our neighborhoods. We also
need to revisit and pass the issue of eliminating parole which
we passed last year.
5. As we look to the future, we have to make sure we can provide
additional recreational opportunities for our citizens to make
Iowa a more attractive place to live. We need to provide some
additional funding for the R.E.A.P. program and we should use
some infrastructure money to construct and maintain more hiking
and biking trails in our state.
Many people are worried about what the federal government may do
to us. While I think we should have concerns, I feel confident
that we can handle whatever is given to us. The gloom and
doomers mention the possibility of some programs being given to
the states as block grants and say that it would be a disaster.
I disagree. It presents us an opportunity.  For example, if the
federal government gave us back the welfare system as block
grants, we would be ahead of most states because of the reforms
we already put into place. If they were to turn over employment
services and job training programs as block grants, that is an
opportunity, not a disaster. It's an opportunity because:
1. The programs most likely will be sent back to us with less
rules and regulations.
2. The programs will come back to us without all the federal
bureaucracy.
3. If a program is block granted to us, it gives us the unique
opportunity to rebuild the system from the ground up and
eliminate unnecessary programs and become more efficient.
While we have concerns about what may come from President
Clinton and the Congress as they struggle to get their fiscal
house in order, I am confident we can handle what they give us
as well as address the above five points.
The past three to four years, we have been consumed with our
budget problems. Now that our fiscal house is in order, we must
build for the future. I haven't even mentioned balancing the
budget as a priority this session. That's because that should
now be a no-brainer. Now that we have control of our finances, a
balanced budget should just be a matter of fact. We shouldn't
heap praise on ourselves for balancing the budget because that
is our job.
What we need to do this session is concentrate our efforts on
creating a climate to let this state grow. We can be full of
doom and gloom and be timid and cautious. Or we can move forward
in a responsible manner knowing that there will be problems
along the way, but also knowing we can create opportunities out
of those problems. I think we should opt for the latter and
position our state for the next century.
Working together, both Republicans and Democrats, I'm confident
that we can make the future brighter for our state. Bright
enough that when we leave here next April, we'll all need to
wear shades.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Iowa General Assembly

Index: House Journal (76th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1996 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments? hjourn@legis.iowa.gov.

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