Hundreds cheer or jeer as lawmakers take sides on hot-button issues at Cedar Rapids forum

CEDAR RAPIDS - With changes curtailing the ability of public employees to collectively bargain becoming law in a span of just 10 days, and another round of votes to defund Planned Parenthood expected next week, hundreds of constituents flocked Saturday to hear Linn County lawmakers explain themselves.

More than 300 people attended a county League of Women Voters' forum to ask questions of a panel of 10 state representatives and senators - largely cheering Democrats who oppose the moves and jeering Republicans who favor them.

An anomaly in Iowa, Linn is one of only six counties in the state that went Democratic in last fall's presidential election - although it also went Republican in the U.S. Senate election. The county's state delegation is reflective of that split. Of the 10 legislators who met with constituents Saturday, seven are Democrats and three are Republicans.

House File 291, which scales back the rights of public-sector workers to negotiate over wages, benefits and working conditions, was a source of anger for many in the crowd. Some questioned the Republicans' use of a procedural move to end debate and force a vote.

The bill 'was rushed, despite what anyone says here today,” said Democratic Sen. Liz Mathis of Cedar Rapids. 'It was absolutely rushed through.”

Many of the Democratic legislators called the move ugly, but Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson from Marion said Democrats had used the same tactic before.

'I was protecting the public in voting for this bill,” Hinson said, prompting an angry reaction from the crowd.

Bob Gilchrist, 74-year-old Springville resident and retired teacher who attended the forum, said he was 'very disappointed” with the vote.

'I've bargained before collective bargaining, and I know what ‘meet and confer' means - it's pretty one-sided,” he said. 'We have come a long ways in holding Iowa together with the bargaining law. It has worked well, it has allowed schools and teachers to work together on education issues.”

Sue Atwater, a 54-year-old instructional strategist in the Linn-Mar School District, said she sees concerns expressed in her position mentoring new teachers.

'I have first- and second-year teachers who come to me and ask, ‘Should I get out of this profession now?'” Atwater said. 'I also have a son who's looking for a job and he's saying ‘Mom, did I make a bad choice?' He graduated magna cum laude from Coe College and wants to be a P.E. teacher, but (Republican Rep. Ken Rizer) doesn't think is worthwhile.”

Some in the crowd also questioned Senate File 2, a bill that would discontinue federal Medicaid funding to family planning agencies across the state that also perform abortions.

Rizer said there are hundreds of other providers besides Planned Parenthood that offer women's health services.

While Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has said abortion services account for about 3 percent of its total services, Rizer said '50 percent” of abortion providers' funding comes from abortion services - a comment prompting another round of shouting from the crowd.

Under current law, no state or federal funds can by used for abortions.

Republican lawmakers at the forum said they are not limiting women's access to health care, but Democrats said the bill would do just that.

'They're forcing people's opinions on women's health care,” said Rep. Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids.

Opponents said the funding bill also would limit access to other services such as cancer screenings.

Marty Wiesenfeld, a retired oncologist from Mercy Medical Center, said he was 'appalled” at the possibility.

Wiesenfeld, who said he's been in the field about 40 years, said he sees the bill most hurting those who can't afford preventive care.

'When people can't afford health care, they only seek health care when they're absolutely desperate,” he said. 'So when people don't have access to health care, preventive health care is the first to suffer. ... I see this having an adverse effect on screening for treatable diseases like cervical cancer.”

Saturday's forum, held at Mercy Medical Center, attracted about 100 people more than a legislative forum last month. said Laure Wess Peters, a volunteer with the Linn County League of Women Voters.

The organization's next legislative forum is set for 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. March 18 at the Hallagan Educational Center at Mercy Medical Center.

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