From Rep. Linda Upmeyer –
The community of Mason City and the entire North Iowa area recently experienced a tragic loss with the death of Shell Lair-Langenbau, Russ Piehl, and Gene Grell- members of the Mercy Air Medical Flight Crew. I had the honor and privilege to work alongside the extraordinary staff at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa for many years. It has been heartwarming to see the outpouring of support from so many near and far, as there is no doubt they touched a countless number of lives. My prayers are with the families, friends, and colleagues of these selfless, dedicated public servants who devoted their lives to helping their fellow neighbors.
All of North Iowa has been affected in some way by this terrible tragedy. It is a sad reminder of the importance of coming together in the workplace and of the unique value that each person brings to the table. The 2013 legislative session will kick off this Monday, January 14. We will welcome 26 new members to the Iowa House of Representatives and I am anxious to work with everyone to come up with real solutions that benefit all Iowans.
In my discussions with voters across the state, one of the top things they request from their elected officials is accountability. Now is a good time of year to be recognizing this and acting upon it. Throughout this past campaign season, we all spent a great deal of time focusing on our message, and now is our opportunity to follow through on our promises made to the electorate.
As you may recall, early last fall, in partnership with the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Senate Republicans, we launched our proposal to bring certainty and stability to all Iowans, called Iowa Strong.
The Iowa Strong plan focuses on encouraging a prosperous Iowa economy, efficient and effective state government, and thriving schools and communities. During this legislative session, you can count on us to work with the Governor and members of both parties in the House and Senate on the following initiatives to make Iowa a more friendly place for job creators, ensure there is predictability and stability in state government, and promote safe and healthy Iowa communities:
Iowa Strong: Economy
Promote job creation through tax relief and reform
Eliminate job-killing red tape and burdensome regulations
Increase career opportunities by investing in a skilled and competitive workforce
Send a strong message that Iowa is a place to start and grow a business
Iowa Strong: Budget Leadership
Create certainty with balanced budgets that spend less than we take in
Save taxpayers’ money by operating an efficient and effective government
Implement sensible state government pay and benefits
Encourage a stable and predictable business climate that provides certainty for job creators to begin investing and hiring
Iowa Strong: Schools and Communities
Advance education reforms that offer accountability, innovation, and choice for parents
Promote career readiness and opportunities for future generations to prosper in Iowa
Fight for Iowa solutions to meet Iowa needs for affordable patient-centered health care
Preserve the values, freedoms, and liberties that are the foundation of Iowa
During this past campaign season, many candidates from both parties made promises similar to the initiatives listed above, specifically to provide real tax relief to the residents of Iowa and efficiently manage the state budget. I look forward to working across the aisle, listening to new ideas, and having an open dialogue in order to accomplish these priorities and do what is in the best interest of the people of this great state.
As always, please feel free to contact me anytime with the issues you care about at linda.upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us or 515-281-4618.
