Capitol Digest 4-1-09

Here are legislative items of interest for Wednesday, April 1:

DEEPER REVENUE SLIDE: State tax collections last month were 7.6 percent lower than March of 2008, continuing the downward slide with three months remaining in the fiscal year. The Legislative Services Agency's monthly revenue report indicated state receipts through the first three quarters of fiscal 2009 were down 2 percent compared to the same nine-month period a year ago. That represents an $87.2 million decline. Last month the Revenue Estimating Conference revised downward its fiscal 2009 estimate, which now calls for tax collections to be down 2.6 percent, or $157.9 million, by June 30. The LSA report indicated state income tax refunds are running $106.3 million ahead of last fiscal year.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Gov. Chet Culver will continue his “shovel ready” infrastructure bonding tour Friday with stops slated in Vinton, Dyersville and Dubuque. The governor hopes to highlight how his $750 million “I-Jobs” initiative will help flood-impacted communities. Both Vinton and Dyersville suffered millions of dollars in damage, and Culver plans to stress how his initiative will help those communities go beyond what federal aid can do to rebuild various facilities. Over the past few weeks, the governor and Lt. Gov. Patty Judge will have traveled to 18 communities around Iowa to promote their bonding proposal to create jobs and help Iowa rebound from the national recession.

SENATE CONFIRMATIONS: The Iowa Senate voted to confirm four of Gov. Chet Culver's appointments on Wednesday. Senators voted 36-14 to confirm Judy Jeffrey's reappointment as director of the state Department of Education. A total of 14 GOP senators voted no, but she still surpassed the 34 affirmative votes needed to surpass the two-thirds majority needed to win confirmation. Senators also confirmed former Iowa Agriculture Secretary Dale Cochran, Martin Stimson and Eugene Ver Steeg to the state Environmental Protection Commission.

COURT CUTTING: Like the Legislature, the Iowa Judicial Branch now has a page on its Internet web site where Iowans may submit ideas for court cost-cutting measures. The courts have taken a number of steps, including furloughs and travel restrictions, to reduce its cuts in light of budget cuts made earlier this year. Deeper cuts are expected in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The Judicial branch is inviting Iowans to submit suggestions for cutting costs and innovations to improve the administration of justice within the constraints of lower budgets by visiting: http://www.iowacourts.gov/Administration/Budget/Submit_Ideas/.

BUDGET COMING TOGETHER: The Iowa Senate voted 32-18 Wednesday to adopt the first piece of the Legislature's fiscal 2010 spending plan. Senate File 467, approved on a party-line vote, delivered an overall cut of $12.1 million cut to Iowa's agricultural and natural resources programs for the fiscal year that begins next July 1. The bill appropriates $39.4 million from the general fund and $85.2 million from other funds. Included were a $2.5 million reduction to the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and a $9.4 million reduction to the state Department of Natural Resources. The measure provides a $42 million status quo allotment to the state's Environment First programs.

ENDOWED CHAIR: Eleven-term Rep. Dolores Mertz, D-Otteson, joined the Iowa House's 20-year club Wednesday and was given her chair at the desk in recognition of her tenure. Mertz, 80, was honored for serving longer, in consecutive terms, than any other woman, being the first woman to chair the House Ag Committee and her work with various legislative organizations, including a stint as a national director of Women in Government. Also feted was Madeline James, a former House switchboard secretary, who began her employment at the Capitol in 1945.

PIONEER LAWMAKERS: Twenty-three members of the Iowa Legislature's class of 1989 were honored at the annual Pioneer Lawmakers program in the Iowa House Wednesday. It attracted past lawmakers and members of the media who covered them. Later, a memorial service for deceased lawmakers was conducted in the Iowa Senate.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I guess I should send Pat Murphy a thank you."  -- Ed Failor Jr., president of Iowans for Tax Relief. Failor said the Muscatine-based group's Web site saw more hits in a single hour after House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, ordered spectators to leave a public hearing on a Democrat-backed tax plan Tuesday evening.

Compiled by Des Moines Bureau staff