The 2007 session of the Iowa House of Representatives adjourned on Sunday, April 29, at 12:39 AM. It was a session where Iowa Republicans had to learn how to be minority members of the Iowa House, and Iowa Democrats had to learn how to lead the governing process as the majority party. We listened to constituents and then worked very hard to translate Iowans’ priorities into legislative action.

The first task of the majority party is to be fiscally responsible. We took this seriously and balanced the budget, while eliminating many of the gimmicks of the past years. We were determined not to continue the practice of “borrow and spend,” and I believe we developed an honest budget that fully funds our priorities.

The result is that our cash reserve funds are almost completely full, and we have repaid $160 million of the $300 million we owed to the Senior Living Trust Fund. We made difficult decisions and often said, “no,” realizing that not everything could be done in one year. The budget we sent to the Governor leaves Iowa in a better financial position than last year.

In the last election cycle, people told us what their priorities were, and we incorporated those ideas into our Plan for Prosperity. The Plan for Prosperity was our road map when the session began, promises we made to voters regarding what we would do if elected to the majority. With one exception, we succeeded in keeping our campaign promises.

Iowans want safer schools and better discipline in the classrooms. Teachers now have the tools they need to protect their students from bullying and harassment and to insure all students can learn. Iowans wanted to keep our best and brightest teachers in the classroom. We did that by committing to raise teacher salaries to 25th in the nation, enhance professional training, and improve student achievement. Iowans want quality preschool programs for their children and grandchildren. Within the next four years every 4 year old, whose parents choose it, will have access to a quality preschool program.

Parents and young Iowans told us that tuitions at our state universities and community colleges were too high. We slowed that trend by increasing funding to higher education, in order to keep tuition increases no higher than the rate of inflation. We also increased funding for work-study programs and started the Governor’s need-based All Iowa Opportunity Scholarships.

Iowans want to reward hard work, and we did that too. By January, the minimum wage will be $7.25, an increase of $2.10. Small business owners told us that the cost of health insurance for their employees was putting them in a terrible position. They needed help, and we responded. Small businesses will now be able to join insurance pools to lower their health insurance costs.

Iowans realize that our state has unique resources that could make us the world leader in renewable energy and break the stranglehold that oil companies and foreign governments have on our state and nation’s energy needs. We developed the Iowa Power Fund and its Office of Energy Independence to help us become a world leader in alternative fuels and energy efficiency. And, this was the best year since 1991 for REAP, Iowa’s unique plan to protect the environment and our natural resources and to expand recreational opportunities throughout Iowa.

In the area of Health and Human Services, for which I chair the budget committee, we expanded health care to 10,000 additional children and 7,000 of their parents who work but cannot afford insurance. We raised the tobacco tax by $1 per pack of cigarettes for the purpose of reducing smoking by teens and adults, and every dollar raised by that tax is dedicated to health programs, including smoking cessation and prevention.

We also provided more help to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. We will provide counseling services to combat alcohol and chemical dependency and prevent suicides; and we increased assistance to help veterans and their families purchase a home.

Of course we still have work to do. We were unable to reach consensus with our colleagues in the Senate on lowering property taxes for Iowa’s commercial property owners, so there are legislators committed to working through the summer to find an answer to this long-standing and complex problem. In doing this our pledge remains that we will not lower taxes for one class of property owners by shifting the burden to other property taxpayers. We will continue to look for equitable solutions to this very complicated problem.

Thanks to all of you who offered suggestions, criticisms and encouragement throughout this very productive legislative session. While it is an awesome responsibility to be a leader in the majority party, it is also a wonderful opportunity to implement policies and programs that are meaningful and helpful to my friends and neighbors. Thanks for the opportunity to serve you.

You can contact me by mail at P O Box 128, Mount Vernon, IA 52314; e-mail at ro.foege@legis.state.ia.us or calling me at 319-895-6043.

Ro

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