Culver Lauds Legislature for opposing 'discriminatory' change

DES MOINES – Gov. Chet Culver praised the Democratically controlled Legislature on Wednesday for not starting the process to amend the state constitution with language defining marriage in Iowa as only between one man and one woman.

“We stood firm for the civil rights of every Iowan by saying loudly and clearly that any and all efforts to add discriminatory amendments to our state constitution have no place in our state constitution,” Culver said in assessing the 2010 legislative work product.

The governor also applauded lawmakers for funding critical state priorities at a time of tight budgeting, most notably for investing nearly $3.4 billion in education that meant a net gain of $60 million in state aid to K-12 public schools, investing significantly in state universities and community colleges and fulfilling the final phase of a four-year, $60 million commitment to statewide preschool opportunities.

Culver also lauded lawmakers for assisting in what he called the largest efficiency, reform and reorganization effort in Iowa history that will have the combined effect of saving more than $270 million next fiscal year when factored in with his cost-cutting executive order and an early-retirement incentive program that kicks in next month.

“We preserved the services Iowans depend upon, while at the same time reducing state spending by 16 percent since 2009,” the governor said.

On the issue of same-sex marriage, Culver said his personal belief remains that marriage should be a union of one man and one woman, and that view has not changed since the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously decided on April 3, 2009, to strike down as unconstitutional a 1998 state marriage law – paving the way for civil marriages between two people of the same gender.

“Regardless of our personal views, we have a line that needs to be drawn between the executive branch and the judicial branch and I think Iowans are ready to move on and accept that unanimous decision,” he told reporters.

“I think the overwhelming majority of Iowans do not want to amend our constitution in such a way that's discriminatory. I think that's the bottom line,” Culver added. “I think Iowans want to move forward and the Supreme Court has spoken loudly and clearly and I think it's time to move on.”

The first-term Democrat faces a tough re-election fight against a three-member GOP field that supports a constitutional amendment on marriage. He said he is comfortable with his position on the marriage issue and looks forward to hitting the campaign trail to defend his four-year record in office.

Republicans ended the 2010 session on Tuesday declaring that majority Democrats had spent too much, saved too little and shifted hundreds of millions of costs to local property taxpayers by passing a fiscal 2011 budget that relies on one-time federal money and surplus state reserves to support a funding level that exceeds what the state is projected to collect in revenue beginning July 1.

“If Culver and legislative Democrats want to pat themselves on the back for increasing the debt burden on Iowa's families, that is certainly their prerogative,” Matt Strawn, Iowa Republican Party of Iowa chairman said Wednesday. “Make no mistake, when Iowans go to the polls in November, they will be voting on the Culver legacy of job losses, rising property taxes and generational debt spending. Iowans can and must do better.”

But Culver said he was anxious to defend his four-year record to voters, noting that he has brought the state through its worst natural disaster, the threat of a “new flu” pandemic, and the economic fallout of a budget-riddling worldwide recession by positioning it recovery better than most other states.

“We have weathered the storm and things are improving,” said Culver, in reiterating his confidence that he will win re-election this November. “We're getting the job done under some very difficult circumstances.

“We have a record that we're very proud of. We've delivered on the promises that we made to the people in 2006,” he added. “The only hurdle I have is getting out there over the next seven months and telling Iowans about our record and our vision instead of having other people who want to be governor tell the story for me.”

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