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Mortgage Helpline allows many to get loan modifications

February 24, 2009 By

In its first year of existence, the Iowa Mortgage Help Hotline has helped thousands of people that are at risk of losing their home. Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller said today that about one-quarter of the 3,700 applications taken in the last 12 months have ended with loan modifications.

Miller says about half of the applications are still in progress. The hotline was created in February of 2008 with a one-point-five million dollar federal grant. One of the many partners in the project is Iowa Mediation Service, which has offices in West Des Moines, Spencer, Mason City and Cedar Rapids.

I-M-S Executive Director Mike Thompson says negotiating home loan modifications can take several months because servicers are so far behind on the requests. "Part of the other problem with the negotiations – it’s not just with the servicer. They may have to go all the way to the investor to get final approval. So, we’re dealing with sort of a moving target at times," Thompson said.

"The third part that makes this really difficult…is we’re not seeing debt write-down yet. In a lot of ways, that’s going to make some of this work a little better if we can have some of these accounts written down." Thompson and Attorney General Miller both believe the federal foreclosure prevention program announced last week by President Obama will also help more Iowans stay in their homes.

However, Thompson says there are hundreds of homeowners in the state that are too far behind on their payments to help. "We have a number of people who don’t have jobs, people who have zero ability to make payments," Thompson said. "We’ve had some not make payments in over two years." Miller says a recent extension of the federal grant will keep the Iowa Mortgage Help Hotline in operation through the end of 2009. The toll-free number is 877-622-4866. Or visit the website here .

 

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government

Council Bluffs council member maintains innocence after prostitution arrest

February 24, 2009 By

A Council Bluffs city councilman is maintaining his innocence after being arrested in prostitution sting. Darren Bates was one of six men cited in earlier this month at a hotel in Council Bluffs. With his wife and attorney by his side on Monday night, Bates said that when he went to a hotel earlier this month, all he wanted was a massage.

Bates says, "I’m not guilty and I’m anxious for everybody to see the tape that will show exactly what happened." Bates insists he turned down offers for sex, saying he said "no" several times. Bates says, "I was very nervous and even was checking the door right before the police came in. It was very awkward."

Another Council Bluffs leader, Councilman Scott Belt, says the whole situation has reflected poorly on the southwest Iowa city and he thinks Bates should resign. Belt says, "I’m hoping the county attorney will do his job and we’ll get this thing resolved because we need to get back to business at hand in Council Bluffs." Belt believes that Bates should just quit — and the sooner the better.

Belt says, "If I was in the same boat as Mr. Bates, I would’ve resigned and went on with my life." Belt says this prostitution arrest of a city leader is taking away from important business the city needs to conduct. Belt says, "It’s not the proper conduct that you would expect from a person representing these people in this great town."

Jim Nelson is a resident of Council Bluffs and says he isn’t buying Bates’ story. "I’m married and if I told my wife I went to a hotel for a massage…she ain’t going to buy that, I’ll tell you that much," Nelson says. Bates’ attorney, James Martin Davis, says his client did nothing illegal and he shouldn’t be punished over false accusations. Bates was the president of the Omaha Firefighter’s Union and both are to meet with the Omaha Fire department today to discuss disciplinary proceedings.  

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Politics & Government

Class 4A: Andrew Wirth, Cedar Falls

February 24, 2009 By

The junior guard averaged over 18 points in two victories for the Tigers. Wirth scored 23 points, including four-of-10 from three point range, in a victory over Linn-Mar. He finished the week with eight three pointers and shot 44 percent from behind the arc.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Uncategorized

Class 3A: Wes Nordquist, Adel-DeSoto-Minburn

February 24, 2009 By

The senior center averaged over 22 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots in a pair of wins. Nordquist scored 24 points, on 9-of-12 shooting, hauled down 15 rebounds and blocked three shots in a victory over Norwalk. He made 19-of-25 shots on the week.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Class 2A: Austin Katje, Unity Christian (Orange City)

February 24, 2009 By

The junior guard averaged more than 27 points and connected on 11-of-22 from three point range in two victories. He scored 24 points, including 7-of-14 from behind the arc, and added three steals in a victory over South O’Brien.

 

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Uncategorized

Class 1A: Danny Hershberger, Iowa Mennonite (Kalona)

February 24, 2009 By

The senior center scored 32 points and added seven rebounds in a victory over Lisbon and did not miss a shot in the process. Hershberger finished 14-of-14 from the field and made all four of his free throws and for the season is connecting on better than 68 percent from the field.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Uncategorized

Culver open to getting rid of one tax provision; critic calls it "silliness"

February 24, 2009 By

Governor Chet Culver says it’s time to "seriously look at" a major change in Iowa tax law. Last week, Democrats in the Iowa Senate said it’s time to consider removing a provision which allows Iowans to deduct their federal tax payment from their income before calculating their state income taxes.

"I think we should have a conversation on that this session," Culver said this afternoon during a telephone news conference. "There are a lot of advantages to doing that."

Just two states — Iowa and Louisiana — have this tax provision on the books and critics say it makes Iowa’s income tax rates look higher than they are when compared to the other 48 states.

"It’s kind of complicated," Culver said, with a laugh, "and anything we can do to kind of simplify and streamline the tax code I’m for it. It’s somewhat outdated in terms of the way that it’s applied and, you know, I think that it might be time to just kind of look and see if we can’t streamline it, simplify it, make it more straightforward and clear."

The group Iowans for Tax Relief has long fought to maintain this tax provision. Iowans for Tax Relief president Ed Failor, Junior spoke with Radio Iowa by phone this afternoon.  "I’m not surprised that it’s confusing and complex for this governor to understand," Failor said.  "He’s trying to take away the largest deduction that middle income Iowans, particular renters have.  These are the folks who are treying to get ahead and he’s going to take away their largest deduction?  It’s silliness.  It’d be a $600 milion tax increase on Iowans in a recession….a bad, bad idea."


Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,
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