Morning Reads

Stuff I'm reading this AM

Budget Tinkering -- The Register's Kathie Obradovich has a great take on Gov. Chet Culver's efforts to tinker with the way tax revenues are estimated, and how those estimates are used to build the state budget. That budget is in big trouble, in case you hadn't heard.

There's talk of using a a three-year revenue average to set the size of the budget pie. That sounds all nice and stable, but Obradovich points out the political realities that would undermine such a system. For one, it would be imp0ssible to keep politicians hands of huge surpluses that might be created through a new system:

The problem is that if Iowa amassed a $2.5 billion reserve - a whopping 40 percent of our $6 billion budget - most of us would say we're being overtaxed. Making major tax changes would unbalance the system, so there would be pressure not to cut taxes. State representatives run for re-election every two years. The governor and senators are up every four. They have a very big disincentive to amass large reserves, when they could instead deliver shiny new programs or tax cuts to their constituents.

And when revenues drop, many Iowans would have a hard time spending money faster than it was coming in. It goes against the grain. If Iowa were in that situation now, we'd be wondering how long the state could continue to live off reserves before they're gone. We'd also miss the opportunity, which comes along every decade or so, to use tight budget times as an impetus for making government more efficient.

Cash Can -- Speaking of misplaced bucks, if you're missing $10,000, it may be at a Kmart in Des Moines. Employees found a red tin can stuffed with money on the customer service counter. It's a Christmas mystery, says The Register.

UPDATE -- The money has been claimed.

No Shirt, No News -- The Iowa Republican has a full report on the remarkable overreaction by Gov. Chet Culver's staff to the online posting of photos showing a shirtless governor competing in a triathlon last month. A Register reporter was evidently told he would no longer have access to info from the gov. unless the photos were taken down.

Culver is a Democrat and TIR is news for Republicans, by Republicans, so keep that in mind as you dive in.

But to me, the most interesting part of the saga is an email Culver's Chief of Staff John Frew sent to The Iowa Republican in response to its questions, including this line:

“I considered the posting of those photos to be a mean spirited attempt to damage the personal reputation of Governor Culver. You and I both know that there is no other explanation."

And...

We've never met, but if you happened to be someone who has a physical or mental impairment, or happened to weigh more than others think you should, I would be just as disappointed if someone ran a photo of you with an unflattering perspective.

Oh boy. Again, can I just say that one bit of self-depreciating humor on the part of the governor would have sufficed. It may have even bought him some hearty good will from fleshy Midwestern men like myself.  Wow, the governor is an imperfect human like the rest of us. News flash.

Instead we get this finger-wagging on behalf of the poor victimized governor. I just don't get it.

Seeing a large guy without a shirt is a big deal in Iowa? Have these guys ever been to the State Fair?

Super Storm 09 -- Here's to hoping the weather service is overreacting to the oncoming snowstorm. Here's what National Weather Service forecasters had to say earlier this morning:

THIS STORM IS IMPRESSIVE. SNOW AMOUNT WISE...IT HAS BEEN ABOUT 10 YEARS SINCE SNOWS OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND EXPANSE HAVE BEEN SEEN. STORM STRENGTH IS ANOTHER MATTER. BASED ON THE CURRENT FCST OF A 980MB OR BETTER SFC LOW...IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN 20 TO 30 YEARS SINCE A WINTER STORM OF THIS MAGNITUDE HAS BEEN SEEN IN THE AREA.

No worries. My snowblower is gassed up, oiled up and ready. Bring it on. I plan to clear my driveway shirtless. Feel free to take photos.