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Redrafted plan cuts income taxes by $54 million

April 8, 2009 By

Governor Culver and his fellow Democrats in the legislature have settled on a plan that would cut state income taxes by $54 million.

"We’re giving back $54 million to the taxpayers, so this is going to be a major tax cut," Culver says. "I would think that Republicans and Democrats would support a tax cut of that size."

About 825,000 Iowa households would see a reduction in their state income taxes. That’s about 60 percent of taxpayers according to Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City, who has been part of the team working on this deal.

"We think we’ve got a much better plan. We’re increasing the standard deduction that all filers will get by more than $1000. We’re creating a new Iowa College Student Refundable Credit at this time when students are seeing rising tuitions," Bolkcom says. "Those two things are probably the biggest changes that create essentially more tax cuts for more Iowans."

Nearly one million Iowan households — about 75 percent of taxpayers — will either get a tax cut or see no increase in their income taxes. About 26 percent of Iowa households would see an increase in their income taxes under the plan. Bolkcom contends those upper income Iowans have seen their taxes go down over the past decade while lower and middle-class taxpayers have shouldered more of the burden.

"I think (legislators) have just decided that putting more money in the hands of working Iowans was the answer," Bolkcom says.

Iowans for Tax Relief president Ed Failor, Junior, is critical of the proposal.

"It’s nothing more than a redistribution of wealth," Failor says.

Failor’s group adamantly opposes a key provision in the bill which eliminates a tax deduction which allows Iowans to deduct their federal tax bill from their income before they calculate their state income taxes.

The Iowa House is expected to start debate on the plan next week.

 

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

State pulling bar’s liquor license for violating smoking ban

April 8, 2009 By

The state is pulling the liquor license of one bar and increasing the penalty for another for violating Iowa’s Smoke-Free Air Act. Lynn Walding, administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division , issued his decisions Wednesday on the appeals of Otis Campbell’s Bar and Grill in West Burlington and Fro’s Pub in Wilton.

In the Otis Campbell’s case, Walding revoked the license of bar owner Larry Duncan. Meanwhile, the Fro’s license suspension has been increased from 21 to 30 days. Walding says the Fro’s penalty was for repeatedly violating the smoking ban. “In addition, that is just generally our penalty for going to a hearing and being found in violation of the liquor code,” Walding said.

Fro’s owner Brian Froehlich plans to appeal the decision. “If this is upheld, I probably stand a good chance of losing everything that I’ve worked hard for for four-and-a-half years,” Froehlich said. Walding says Fro’s is back in compliance with the smoking ban according to recent checks by police. Froehlick admits he allowed smoking in his bar “for a short time” after the ban took effect and after he was first cited.

“I know people out there in Iowa, and I’ve read all their blogs..Tthey’re going to say ‘he deserves it, because of this and that and everything else.’ You know what? What I did was to tell people that we need to stick up for our rights,” Froehlich said during an interview with Radio Iowa. “It’s not about smoking, it’s about the rights we keep getting taken away from us every day.”

Froehlich says he’s also upset that other bars found in violation of the law settled their cases and were issued a seven-day suspension and a $1,000 fine. “It’s absurd,” Froehlich said of his 30-day suspension. “There’s no consistency in the rulings and the way they hand out the sentences.”

Walding says West Burlington police would likely strip Larry Duncan’s license for Otis Campbells this afternoon.

“I would point out, however, if two conditions are met, we are willing to consider a request to rescind the revocation,” Walding said. “Condition number one is that he guarantee and assure that in the future he will comply with the Smoke-Free Air Act. The second condition would be that he would serve a suspension of an appropriate length.”

Calls to Larry Duncan and his attorney, Darwin Bunger, have not been returned. In the past, Duncan has said he plans to file appeals until a judge weighs in on the constitutionality of the smoking ban. If his appeal of the revocation were granted, the case would go before a district court judge.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

Governor speaks publicly about gay marriage ruling

April 8, 2009 By

Governor Culver has said he’s "reluctant" to support an amendment to the state’s constitution which would ban gay marriage, but the governor is open to the idea of a "constitutional convention" which would allow for consideration of a variety of amendments to the state’s constitution.

Culver, who is a Democrat, suggests that’s an avenue gay marriage opponents might pursue in 2010. "The voters will certainly have an opportunity to weigh in on this," Culver says.

Culver says a variety of amendments might be explored at a constitutional convention, such as amendments to protect seniors or advance the causes of working men and women, teachers and veterans. 

"The question about a constitutional convention is much broader than this one issue, so I’m very interested in talking to Iowans, talking to legislators about whether or not they want to go through a constitutional convention," Culver says. "We have not had once in 1857 and we’ll see what the people of Iowa have to say about that big question that will be on the ballot."

Culver says he believes marriage should be between one man and woman but the governor remains reluctant to support an amendment which would ban gay marriage in Iowa as a means of reacting to last Friday’s Iowa Supreme Court ruling which paved the way for same-sex marriage in the state.

"With respect to amending the constitution, I am reluctant to support amending it in such a way that this court has said would amendment unlawful under the current constitution and discriminatory," Culver says.

Current Iowa law allows anyone to obtain a marriage license in Iowa which means same-sex couples from other states may come here to marry. Some legislators want to change state law so marriage license applicants must prove they’re Iowa residents and Culver isn’t ruling that out.

"I think those ideas should be vetted through the legislative process," Culver says. "We’ve got a week or so left in the session and I’m open to talking to legislators about any legislation."

Culver issued a written statement on Tuesday afternoon outlining his views on the gay marriage issue, four days days after the Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling which legalized same-sex marriage. Today, Culver spoke to statehouse reporters and defended that four-day delay.

"You know, this decision took more than four months to come down from the court. I think it’s appropriate to take as much time as necessary, and in my case about four days, to thoroughly read the decision," Culver said. "I encourage all Iowans to read it. It’s 69 pages long."

The governor said it would have been a mistake for him to issue a "knee jerk reaction" immediately after the ruling was announced last Friday.

You can listen to all of what Culver had to say today about the issue by clicking on the audio link below.

AUDIO: Culver speaks publicly about gay marriage. 8:00 MP3

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

UNI basketball player moves to the diamond

April 8, 2009 By

Lucas O’ Rear has traded his basketball shoes for baseball spikes. After helping lead the UNI basketball to the NCAA Tournament this past season as a reserve guard, O’Rear made his first appearance on the mound for the Panther baseball team this past weekend. the sophomore came out of the bullpen and pitched an inning and a third in a loss at Indiana State.

UNI coach Rick Heller says O’Rear was mad that he gave up some runs, but Heller says for a guy who just came over from basketball, he showed some good speed and will get better as he gets into better baseball shape to throw.

O’Rear gave up three runs but also struck out two batters in a short stint. Heller says everyone at the game saw the potential and says O’Rear can be as good as he wants to be as a pitcher.

Heller believes O’Rear will see more work as a reliever, a backup closer. He says they need a guy to bridge between their normal closer and the rotation there would be good for the team.

UNI returns to action on Wednesday afternoon against South Dakota State. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Up and down weather makes baseball tough in the Spring

April 8, 2009 By

It’s the yearly battle college baseball coaches fight in the part of the country: the weather. Winter like conditions this past weekend forced teams all across the state the juggle schedules, postpone games and move inside for practice. Clarke College has a game schedule against Loras on Wednesday. It will be the Crusader’s first game in a week.

Clarke coach Chad Harris says he feels the team will take the time off to focus on academics and catch up. He says it will also help them heal up after playing several games in a short period of time. Harris has his team move inside in an attempt to stay sharp. He says they have indoor facilities where they can bat and throw, and they also go out to the field and take infield practice.

An extended period of bad weather is especially tough to deal with for a sport that is designed to be played every day. William Penn coach Mike Laird says they have an indoor facility this year that they haven’t had in the past. Although he says it does get kind of old not being able to get outside. He says finding ways to practice can be difficult, things such as baserunning.

Morningside coach Jim Scholten says with snow on the ground over the weekend it’s hard to imagine that the regular season is in its final month. He says for people who don’t follow the season closely think it is just beginning, but they have over 30 games in already. 

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Iowa’s child labor laws updated for first time in 35 years

April 8, 2009 By

Governor Culver today signed a bill into law which dramatically increases the fines for Iowa businesses that knowingly violate child labor laws.

State Labor Commissioner Dave Neil says Iowa’s child labor laws haven’t been updated since 1974.  "This is one big improvement in the tools that we’ll have to move forward," Neil says.

Legislators drafted the bill in response to the situation at Agriprocessors, the Postville meatpacking plant accused of dozens of child labor violations.

The new law establishes a $10,000 state fine for each child labor violation. The corresponding federal fine is $11,000. The legislation also hikes the penalty for businesses who fail to pay employees their rightfully-earned wages to $500. It had been a $100 fine. Supporters say the law also gives county attorneys more power to prosecutive businesses that engage in child labor violations.

The new law does not provide money to beef up state investigations of child labor law violations, however. "We don’t have any investigators, per se. We’ve got one child labor person who acts on all the permits and all of that," Neil says. We can’t today actively investigate everything we want to but, you know, we make phone calls and try and make sure people are aware of the law and those that ignore us we’ll be able to now move forward with."

Neil doesn’t believe that many Iowa businesses are ignoring the laws which forbid kids from workplaces and restricts the hours teenagers may work.

"It’s something that takes place in given circumstances and, thank God, with no real investigators to go out there, the public is really good about letting us know where some of these situations exist," Neil says.

Click on the audio link below to hear what Governor Culver had to say about this subject.

AUDIO: Culver signs bill (mp3 runs 3 min)

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Crime & Courts, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Trek stars beam down to Riverside in June

April 8, 2009 By

TrekFest The tiny eastern Iowa town that claims to be the future birthplace of the fictional space hero Captain Kirk has a star lineup for this summer’s TrekFest.

Trekkies may think they’ve been zapped with a phaser on stun when they hear three stars from the original Star Trek series will be at this 25th annual event: Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols and George Takei, who played Chekov, Uhura and Sulu.

Tim Geerlings, vice president of the Riverside Area Community Club, also expects plenty of look-alikes, as one mainstay of Trekfest is the costume contest which, this year, will be judged by Koenig, Nichols and Takei.

It’s unprecedented to have three high-caliber names at the fest, and Geerlings says Koenig appeared at last year’s event. Geerlings says, "In spite of the fact it’s a small town atmosphere, he really rather enjoyed himself and he was the one who suggested we try to get the other two original crewmembers to come to Riverside."

He says there are all sorts of Trek-related events planned and they’ll even be selling "Kirk Dirt," taken from the spot where they say Captain James T. Kirk’s birthplace will be — in the year 2228. Geerlings says he’s had inquiries from around the planet and is expecting a large crowd to materialize.

There’s a lecture session on the history of Star Trek and its cultural impact, followed by a question-and-answer session with the three stars, then an autograph and photo session. They’ll also ride a float together in the parade.

For details on the June event, visit TrekFest .

Filed Under: Human Interest Tagged With:
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