House Journal: Page 8: Monday, January 12, 1998

Education_ Clearly this has been the topic of the pre-session.
My son started kindergarten this year. His school is great and
his teacher is first rate. I am very happy with the education
he's receiving. I'm no different than other parents who are also
happy with the education their children are receiving. Maybe
that's why we continue to have record low turnouts in school
board elections. Just because I'm happy doesn't mean I'm
satisfied. We do need to improve. Maybe we should pay teachers
more, especially the outstanding ones. Maybe we should put some
accountability into the system. A little competition would be
good. Maybe we should help low income families have the
opportunity to send their kids to pre-school. The laundry list
is long: adult to student ratios, infrastructure, reading
scores, and advanced enrollment. Chairman Gries has his work cut
out for him this year. As we go through this debate, keep this
question in mind, "Do we like Washington telling us how to run
our schools?" We need to be careful we don't fall into the same
trap and tell Iowa parents, teachers, and school boards that Des
Moines knows best. 
Agriculture and Business_ As I left Cedar Rapids yesterday, I
passed Quaker Oats, Cargill, and ADM. Each of these businesses
add value to the raw materials our farmers produce. We have done
an outstanding job of diversifying our economy, but agriculture
is our base. We need to stand up for agriculture. Research and
technology are providing exciting opportunities to add value, to
produce more products, and create more jobs. We need to look at
the business structure so farmers can better network. Our
economy is fueled by growth. Every time a new company starts or
an existing one expands that's new wealth, new jobs, and yes,
new tax revenue. We must also work to keep our youth here in
Iowa. That  is really the number 1 problem facing this state
over the next 5-15 years.
Quality of Life_   When the economy is good, people look to
other issues, and some of those issues will be a major focus of
the House this year. Our crime rate in Iowa is down. We've
stepped up law enforcement and put more people in prison. In
fact, we need to put more prison beds on line. We need to look
at the laws dealing with sexual predators and drug enforcement.
Maybe we need to add more officers to help combat the drug
problem that exists. We must also focus on the environment. This
summer I took my two sons fishing. We didn't catch many fish,
but it was fun. It was a great father-son experience. We have to
be sure we have clean lakes and streams, and protect our
groundwater. Iowa was recently highlighted as a state where we
can grow old. But we also need to be a place where we can have
fun while growing old, so we need to look into some recreational
opportunities that will make Iowa more attractive. 
So, the plate is full for 1998, just as it is every year, with
tax relief, improving education, protecting agriculture, growing
new jobs, and improving our overall quality of life. If the past
is any indicator of the future, The Iowa House of
Representatives will be the engine again this year. So, let's
get chugging!
RULE 57 SUSPENDED
Siegrist of Pottawattamie asked and received unanimous consent
to suspend Rule 57, relating to committee notice and agenda, for
committee meetings today.
INTRODUCTION OF BILLS
House File 2001, by Thomas, a bill for an act relating to
the state ceiling on the issuance of private activity bonds to
administer programs 

Iowa General Assembly

Index: House Journal (77th General Assembly: Session 2)

© 1998 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa

Comments about this site or page? hjourn@legis.iowa.gov. Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.

Last update: Tue Jan 13 13:40:03 CST 1998
URL: /DOCS/GA/77GA/Session.2/HJournal/00000/00008.html
jhf