From Senator Amanda Ragan –
This year, Senate Democrats fought long and hard for education, health care, jobs and public safety initiatives that will strengthen Iowa’s middle class. We hoped to accomplish much more, but after five months of negotiating, we opted for compromise over gridlock.
Unfortunately, Governor Branstad ignored many key bipartisan compromises, vetoing them just minutes before the start of the Fourth of July holiday. His vetoes will hit Iowa students, workers and families particularly hard by:
• Jeopardizing quality at our K-12 schools.
• Ending a tuition freeze at our state universities.
• Making our community colleges more expensive.
• Eliminating treatment options for families coping with severe mental health issues.
Strengthening Iowa’s middle class depends on smart investments in the economy, education and health care. Given Iowa’s strong fiscal outlook, the Governor’s vetoes make no sense to a majority of Iowans.
While state revenue growth is strong, we continue to budget according to the most conservative projections of the state’s nonpartisan revenue estimating panel. Republican and Democratic legislators worked in a bipartisan way to avoid using one-time money for ongoing needs, and our budget ultimately spent less than the Governor’s did.
There is bipartisan support for a special session of the Legislature to override the worst of the Governor’s vetoes. Two-thirds of Senators and Representatives must sign a petition to initiate a special session. Republicans worked with us on this year’s final budget agreement, so I am hopeful that they will agree to patching some of the holes left by the Governor.
If you believe schoolchildren, college students and Iowans needing mental health treatment deserve better, make your voice heard. We must continue fighting together for Iowa’s future.
Amanda, I will say the same thing that I told Sharon Steckman. If you would have abided by Iowa law and passed a two year budget for school funding, you would have had a better stance here but you didn’t. Your “bipartisan” deal was to pass a one year budget and after it was passed, you tacked on a “one time” spending deal for schools. You gave Branstad no choice but a veto, you didn’t follow the law and do a two year budget deal and added a “one time spending deal.” The only thing he vetoed was the one time money, that is not budgeting and you got what you deserved with the veto. The original one year budget was an increase in spending without the add on money you were asking for…
What else would you expect this half of the spend sisters to say? They are real big on spending someone else’s money. Tell them to follow the laws and obey the rules and they wouldn’t have a problem. People are getting sick and tired of the teachers union bleeding us dry every year.
yes, teachers work really,really hard! If you don’t believe them, just head to the golf course and ask them
Where’s her outrage when it comes to not acting on IWILL or some of the other items the democrats refused to either bring up or act on?
all you people want to do is line your own pocket. teachers are paid a year wages and only work 9 months. why do you not work for the people?
That argument went out the window a long time ago. Teachers work harder than you ever will. And they work a lot longer hours and certainly more than 9 months. Besides the fact, that the job they do is one of the most important jobs in the world.
why not give the money back to those who it was stolen from? You know, the ones who are dumb enough to still work for a living.
so if you want this—then don’t complain when your taxes skyrocket!!!!