House Journal: Page 9: Monday, January 13, 2003
that question in the affirmative, may cause us to reprioritize, or to set aside political
positions. For instance, if funding for students is being sacrificed for the purpose of
paying for higher health insurance premiums, then don’t we owe it to our children to
reset that balance?
We will have to be vigilant this session that in our effort to deal with an immediate
financial shortfall, we do not make decisions that have positive short-term results with
long-term consequences. The third test before us will be to ensure that our actions put
Iowa on sound financial footing for the future. I believe this is the year when we turn
the corner on our budgetary troubles, but only if we have the courage to make the truly
difficult decisions. The states surrounding Iowa are turning to the taxpayers and
asking for more in efforts to restore balance between revenues and spending. We will
not do that.
Instead we must reprioritize. That won’t be easy. For example, we all know that if
left unchecked, spending on Medicaid and collective bargaining will each outpace
funding for education this year. Yet, which is our number one priority.
To be successful with all three of these tests; fostering the creation of wealth,
improving student performance, and putting Iowa on sound financial footing for the
future will require change from past practices. Yet what about state government has
changed? We have the same Governor and Lieutenant Governor as last year. (You
missed your applause line, Rep. Chiodo.) The leadership of the Iowa Senate is
unchanged. Only here in the House have we seen real change. Over one third of us are
serving our first term. Both caucuses have new leadership teams. The Iowa House is
what has changed in the political equation; and as such we, the House, will have to be
the agents of change for our state’s future.
In his address in 1903 Roosevelt told Iowans that "we will work out, all the
problems, difficult though they be, which face us now, if we approach them in a spirit
in which we shall combine courage, sanity, and jealous regard for the rights of others
and the firm determination to permit no wrong on any else." To do that today, means
that we have to own up to mistakes we have made in the past, and right them. Ladies
and gentlemen, mistakes have been made last year, and they must be corrected. We
must restore the funds cut in the second special session to the property tax credits, and
that is why it will be the first bill introduced for consideration. We must also recognize
that public safety and corrections, the two primary functions of government, will need
to have some of their funding restored.
Before I close, I want to thank you, the members of this General Assembly, for the
high privilege of serving as your Speaker. I cannot put into words what it means to
me. I would also be remiss if I did not introduce my family who is with me today, and
without whose support I would not be able to serve in this position; my wife Trudy, my
daughters Grace and Kait. I also have with me my brother Doug, my niece Sydney,
and mother Carolyn.
I would also like to introduce my staff, Allison Kleis, the first staffer to stick with
me for more than one session, Tim Albrecht and Becky Lorenz. While the door to the
Speaker’s office is always open, today we are going to push it open a little wider, and I
would invite all of you and your families to join us for a reception in my office in the
Speaker’s Conference room after we recess.
© 2003 Cornell College and
League of Women Voters of Iowa
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