Thank you for a very interesting and informative read.
Questions though:
1) I need to be informed of how to 'lower cost of living'?
2)What are 'good jobs'?
3) What is 'affordable' housing and child care? For me the word AFFORDABLE is the most misleading political word today. Affordable to who? How is affordable decided? Affordable is different to u and to me. And I can only imagine how many thousand pages it would take to make a law deciding 'what is affordable' to everyone. Without a doubt, in my opinion, it would be another bureaucratic boondoggle. I thoroughly support the idea of people being able to work child care and housing into to their budgets. I've been involved with people, has been couples mind u, to adjust their budgets and then are able to have one stay home and raise their children themselves.
When I started in the legislature, lo those many moons ago, we developed a bipartisan, bicameral consensus based on the principle that property taxes should pay for property-related services. We also recognized that they were particularly regressive for people on fixed incomes, especially retirees.
But Reynolds and her culture warriors are now propelling us in a race that only the rich can win. Income tax cuts, a soft farming economy (with ag land prices at $20,000 per acre), ongoing expenses paid with one-time federal money that’s now running out, and private school subsidies are putting Iowa in a $700 million hole for the next fiscal year.
Rather than halting revenue declines, she and the GOP are going to accelerate them. At the current rate, budget deficits of $900 million are in the offing for FY27, and $1 billion for FY28. Our emergency and reserve funds will be drained within five years.
Dear Ms. Belin. Am much admiring and appreciating your columns on the goings-on in Des Moines, from my not entirely comfortable spot just across the Big River in Rock Island, IL. I don't know of any comparable party down in Springfield, unfortunately. At least Springfield isn't yet a WHOLLY owned subsidiary of ALEC and Koch, Inc.
I'm in the process of re-organizing my news budget, having leapt from the decks of the Washington Post, and you're on my list for subscription. Really appreciated your bit on Jim Leach, having met him informally on a couple of occasions through friends.
BTW, I'd recently read of an attorney from Des Moines with your last name, who by my reading, served admirably on the Warren Commission. I'm guessing he'd be pleased with your work, too.
Thank you for a very interesting and informative read.
Questions though:
1) I need to be informed of how to 'lower cost of living'?
2)What are 'good jobs'?
3) What is 'affordable' housing and child care? For me the word AFFORDABLE is the most misleading political word today. Affordable to who? How is affordable decided? Affordable is different to u and to me. And I can only imagine how many thousand pages it would take to make a law deciding 'what is affordable' to everyone. Without a doubt, in my opinion, it would be another bureaucratic boondoggle. I thoroughly support the idea of people being able to work child care and housing into to their budgets. I've been involved with people, has been couples mind u, to adjust their budgets and then are able to have one stay home and raise their children themselves.
Thanks again,
Rich Win Iowa’s Culture War
When I started in the legislature, lo those many moons ago, we developed a bipartisan, bicameral consensus based on the principle that property taxes should pay for property-related services. We also recognized that they were particularly regressive for people on fixed incomes, especially retirees.
But Reynolds and her culture warriors are now propelling us in a race that only the rich can win. Income tax cuts, a soft farming economy (with ag land prices at $20,000 per acre), ongoing expenses paid with one-time federal money that’s now running out, and private school subsidies are putting Iowa in a $700 million hole for the next fiscal year.
Rather than halting revenue declines, she and the GOP are going to accelerate them. At the current rate, budget deficits of $900 million are in the offing for FY27, and $1 billion for FY28. Our emergency and reserve funds will be drained within five years.
Dear Ms. Belin. Am much admiring and appreciating your columns on the goings-on in Des Moines, from my not entirely comfortable spot just across the Big River in Rock Island, IL. I don't know of any comparable party down in Springfield, unfortunately. At least Springfield isn't yet a WHOLLY owned subsidiary of ALEC and Koch, Inc.
I'm in the process of re-organizing my news budget, having leapt from the decks of the Washington Post, and you're on my list for subscription. Really appreciated your bit on Jim Leach, having met him informally on a couple of occasions through friends.
BTW, I'd recently read of an attorney from Des Moines with your last name, who by my reading, served admirably on the Warren Commission. I'm guessing he'd be pleased with your work, too.
Tim Long
Nursing home malfeasance- meh; water quality - meh, public schools more meh. SMH
Press bench. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
As always, excellent information. Laura. Thank you!