House Journal: Page 1122: Wednesday, April 7, 1999

	That's the kind of session you are having this year and it's commendable.  A 

healthy two-party system is alive and well in Iowa today.
The 1979 session of the Legislature was memorable for a couple reasons.  They had 
a $150 million surplus that year and gave a third of it back to the taxpayers in a 
rebate.  That's not been repeated since but just imagine what these boys could do today 
with a $900 million surplus!
They also started income tax indexing.  Inflation was 9.4 percent that year so that 
meant something to taxpayers. Unlike the rebate, indexing's an idea that successors 
have kept around.
They legalized graduated payment mortgages and variable rate mortgages.  They 
cut unemployment benefits and allowed credit unions to run checking accounts.
Much has changed since 1978 and not all of it for the better.  Budgets are larger. 
Staffs bigger. The costs of campaigns have exploded and they're about to become more 
expensive now that corporate contributions are legal.  Why, in 1978, you could win an 
open seat in the Iowa Legislature for less than $5,000!
Some things never change, though.  If you aren't a member, it's still hard to find a 
place to park around here.  There are about thirty lobbyists here who are former 
members and they'll all tell you the greatest mistake they made while serving was in 
not providing more places for people to park.
But a lot of good things have happened, too. It's more business-like. The work week 
is more family friendly.  Marathon late night sessions are rare.  More women serve in 
the Legislature today. Some day when half the membership is female, we'll be able to 
say we have a Legislature that truly reflects the population of this state. 
But there I've started to preach and I promised not to do that.  So to Senator Drake, 
thank you again for the invitation to address this joint session.  To the Pioneer 
Lawmakers, welcome home.  To the members, good luck in making that April 23rd 
adjournment.
And to both present and former members in this chamber, I want to say something 
those of us in the media rarely say - and that is thank you. Thank you for your 
personal sacrifice.  Thank you for your public service.  Thank you for trying to make 
Iowa better and for your willingness to be in what Theodore Roosevelt once called "The 
Arena."
On motion by Gipp of Winneshiek, the joint convention was 
dissolved at 2:28 p.m.
The House stood at ease at 2:28 p.m., until the fall of the gavel.
The House resumed session at 2:45 p.m., Gipp of Winneshiek in 
the chair.

© 1999 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: Thu Apr 8 13:40:04 CDT 1999
URL: /DOCS/GA/78GA/Session.1/HJournal/01100/01122.html
jhf