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Thousands turn out for "Tea parties"

April 15, 2009 By

Crowd at State Capitol TEA Party. Iowans in a number of cities across the state rallied against tax day. That included a crowd of around 3,000 outside the Capitol building in Des Moines.

Organizers of the “tea parties” in Iowa and around the country said TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already.

Some protesters clipped tea bags to hats or clothing in recognition of the original Boston Tea Party.  Des Moines business owner Tony Chiavaro said struggling banks, insurance companies and other big businesses should fail rather than receive government bailouts.

TEA Party view from State Capitol. “If my small business fails or your small business fails, we don’t receive any kind of help. We simply fail,” Chiavaro told the crowd.

 ”(Lawmaker’s) argument is this: these companies are too big to fail, that it would be catastrophic. My argument is this: it’s a natural correction.”

Reverend Charles Kirtley of Corydon criticized the state and federal welfare systems. “Meeting the needs of the poor and needy (is) what God commands. We should do that,” Kirtley said. “But, it’s much more efficient if we do it directly. If you give to a needy person and he needs more, you give it to him. If he don’t need as much, you can cut back.

Government bureaucracy just gives, gives, gives and just wastes…that’s the way I see it.” Des Moines business owner Vicki Stogdill says she’s upset with the level of state spending since Governor Chet Culver took office. “Instead of showing leadership, he wants to borrow more. That’s not the answer…they’ve on a two-year spending spree and it has to stop,” Stogdill said.

A group of fifth-grade girls from Ankeny were even given a chance to speak at the podium. One girl, introducing herself as Claire, read a quote from Ben Franklin, “we should not let the poor get comfortable with poverty, let’s get them off welfare.” Her friend, Megan followed, “we need limited government, stop spending our future.”

The crowd cheered, to which Megan replied, “thank you,” before jumping off a stepping stool to reach the podium-mounted microphone. Other speakers, including Tamara Scott, took aim at Culver and other Democrats for refusing to allow debate on a measure that could lead to a ban on gay marriage in Iowa.

Scott said Culver stated in the past that he would do “all he could” to keep marriage between one man and one woman. “It is time for us to stand strong on our word and keep our word, unlike the governor, and we will remember in November,” Scott said. In addition to the Des Moines rally, other “tea parties” were held or will be held tonight in Mason City, Sioux City, Spencer, Waterloo, Iowa City, Dubuque, Davenport, Council Bluffs and Cedar Rapids.

More information on the times and locations of the rallies is available at taxdayteaparty.com/teaparty/iowa

 

AUDIO: Pat Curtis report on Des Moines TEA Party. :54 MP3
AUDIO: TEA Party rally speeches from Chiavaro, Scott, Stogdill. 25:18 MP3

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

Democrats one vote short of passing tax bill

April 15, 2009 By

The top Democrat in the Iowa House says he is one vote short of being able to pass a massive overhaul of the state’s income tax system. House Speaker Pat Murphy, a Democrat from Dubuque, isn’t willing to declare the bill dead for the year, though.

"We do think we can get to 51 votes and pass the bill," Murphy says, "so it’s still a live round."

According to Murphy, he had lined up 52 Democrats to vote for the bill, but two Democrats changed their minds after adjustments sought by the governor broadened the number of Iowans who would get a tax cut — and amounted to a roughly $50 million reduction in the amount of income taxes collected.

"All we need is one person to change their mind," Murphy says. "…We’re still optimistic we’ll get it done before we adjourn."

Murphy is counting on Governor Chet Culver, a fellow Democrat, to help find the extra vote that will get the bill passed.

"We still believe that it is a middle class tax cut," Murphy says. "We still believe it simplifies the tax code and we are optimistic that we will pass it yet this year."

Meanwhile, Iowans for Tax Relief president Ed Failor, Junior, is leading opposition to the plan. His main objection is it will get rid of a tax deduction that lets Iowans deduct their federal income tax bill from their income before they calculate their state income taxes.

"Everything I have understood is they’ve never had so much as 50 (yes votes)," Failor says. "Point is, that’s not 51 and that’s good for Iowa taxpayers."

Failor says the bill is far from "dead" for the year, however.

"Anything can happen," Failor says. "…I would love to see one fo the leaders stand up and say, ‘We won’t do this,’ and I’d be the first person to praise them for their leadership."

Failor’s group calls the Democrats’ proposal a "tax on a tax." Representative Paul Shomshor, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, directly responded to that during a news conference this week.

"Just ’cause somebody comes up with a nifty slogan, I mean, that doesn’t change the facts. You know, somebody who defends that slogan is just defending a complicated tax structure," Shomshor said. "What we’re doing is we’re simplifying the tax system and we’re cutting taxes for middle class Iowans."

A few thousand Iowans rallied on the statehouse grounds today, April 15, the deadline day for filing federal taxes.  Few, however, ventured inside the capitol to talk with legislators once the rally was over.

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

Parkersburg rebuilding includes playgrounds

April 15, 2009 By

Parkersburg has been in rebuilding mode since a massive tornado destroyed part of the northeast Iowa town last May. This week, volunteers are replacing two playgrounds that were battered by the mile-wide twister.

Amy Truax, a member of the Parkersburg Recovery Committee and the Rebuild Iowa Commission, says the recovery efforts have been remarkable. Truax says, "The comment you hear over and over again is that towns just don’t rebuild like Parkersburg is rebuilding."

Volunteers will start installing playground equipment Thursday at Schwartz Memorial Park and Truax says they have all the volunteers they’ll need for this week. She says, "People that’ve volunteered, we’d like them to be there at 8 o’clock to get everything ready and then get dirty right away."

Work will run from 8 AM until dark Thursday through Saturday. Volunteers will also be needed for the April 22nd installation of playground equipment at Miracle Park. To volunteer, call 319-346-9853.  

Filed Under: Human Interest

Bicyclists to rally at State Capitol

April 15, 2009 By

The so-called Bicyclist’s Bill of Rights passed the Iowa Senate in February but it appears the legislation won’t reach the House floor before the end of the session. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of cycling enthusiasts plan a rally ride through Des Moines late this afternoon, ending at the state capitol.

Kim Hopkins, co-founder of the All Nine Yards Cycling Team, says the House needs to act on this bill before adjourning. "There’s a lot of frustration, especially right now," Hopkins says.

"We’ve had three fellow friends and cyclists get hit this spring, one very seriously (injured) over the weekend. We’re just very concerned and want to do all we can to raise awareness about the bike safety bill and get some legislation passed that’ll make it safer for cyclists on the road."

Eight bicyclists were killed in collisions with vehicles on Iowa roads last year, while 430 were injured. The bill that passed the Iowa Senate would require motorists to maintain a 5-foot distance when passing a bicyclist. Motorists caught following a bike too closely could face a $25 ticket and if the cyclist is injured, the fine jumps to $500.

If the cyclist is killed, the fine would be $1,000. Hopkins says she’s had a lot of close calls with inconsiderate motorists who whoosh by within inches of her bike. "A lot of people are out there that just really don’t understand how dangerous it is when you pass that close and how much even the wind of someone passing you that close can knock you off course," Hopkins says.

"And then there’s the people that are just plain mad at seeing cyclists on the road and they do it intentionally, to teach us a lesson. That’s super-scary."

The bill would also prohibit someone from opening a car door into bicycle traffic and it would give bicyclists the right of way when a bike trail intersects with a street.

Given the nice weather and the issue involved, she says this afternoon’s bike ride rally will be well-attended, as the group’s page on the website "facebook" has already had a hundred supporters respond.

"I’m hoping for big numbers," Hopkins says. "It’s a beautiful night to be out. It’s going to be a nice, controlled, safe ride to the capitol. Organizers are putting a lot of thought into the route and how we move safely through the streets." For more information, visit the Iowa Bicycle Coalition’s website: "www.iowabicyclecoalition.org".

The ride begins at 5:30 P.M. at the Rasmussen Bike Shop at 301 Grand Avenue in West Des Moines. 

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With: ,

Senate Republicans reject governor’s pick for top DHS job

April 15, 2009 By

Gene Gessow The 18 Republicans in the state senate have held firm and derailed Democratic Governor Chet Culver’s pick to head the Department of Human Services. There are 32 Democrats in the senate, but Gene Gessow , the governor’s nominee for that top job at the Department of Human Services, needed at least two Republican supporters in order to be confirmed for the job.

When pressed by a leading Democrat, Senate Republican Leader Paul McKinley said Gessow had failed to be "open and transparent" about a variety of things.

"Your theory of the indispensible man — I just can’t accept that," McKinley said during debate. "Everybody is replaceable."

Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, challenged Republicans to have "the guts" to stand up and give their specific reasons for voting Gessow down,

"Tell us why you cannot support this individual for confirmation. That’s all," McCoy said. "I think your silence is deafening."

Four other Democrats spoke in favor of Gessow, including Senator Daryl Beall, a Democrat from Fort Dodge who said a week ago he would have voted against Gessow, but Gessow — through his recent actions — had earned his support.

"I’m not convinced that he has all of that ‘vision thing’ that President Bush, senior used to talk about, that elusive ‘vision thing’ — but he is a hard worker," Beall said. "…I appreciate that in a public servant."

Midnight tonight is the deadline for senate confirmation votes on the governor’s nominees to state boards and commissions as well as the governor’s agency directors.

The top Democrat in the senate used a parliamentary move at the conclusion of this morning’s debate which means Gessow’s nomination could be resurrected later today if two Senate Republicans change their minds.

Read more about this morning’s senate action on The Blog or click on the audio link below to listen to the debate.

AUDIO: Gessow confirmation debate…MP3 53 min

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

Liquor licenses suspended, revoked in Ottumwa over smoking ban

April 15, 2009 By

An administrative law judge is recommending that the liquor license of the Ottumwa V.F.W. Post be revoked, and the license of an Ottumwa bar be suspended 30 days for violating the smoking ban.

The recommendations come after each establishment had a hearing before the judge. Lynn Walding is the administrator of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division and says the recommendation to revoke the V.F.W.’s license is based on a precedent set in earlier cases.

Walding says businesses that indicate during their hearing and operation of their business that they are not going to comply with the law, they division has no choice but to revoke their license. Walding says if a business comes into compliance with the law they would consider giving them their license back.

"But it is unacceptable to let them re-open the business and go right back into a pattern and practice of disregarding the law," Walding says. In the other Ottumwa case, the judge recommended that the license of "Smokin’ Jo’s" bar in Ottumwa be suspended for 30 days for violating the smoking ban.

Both the V.F.W. and Smokin’ Jo’s have 30 days to appeal the ruling to Walding. Walding can change the judge’s recommendation or uphold it. .After Walding makes his final opinion, then the license holder can appeal the case to the district court.

Otis Campbell’s bar in West Burlington was the first to face action for violating the smoking ban, and Walding says a notice was given to Doris’ Tavern in Burlington Tuesday — making it the sixth Burlington area bar to face action.

Walding says there has been a lot of emphasis on the smoking ban in Des Moines County, with Otis Campbell’s leading the charge. He says there has been some "disregard of the law" there and the state sent two agents down and they checked eight establishments and found five were violating the smoking ban. Walding says they will focus some more attention on Des Moines County to address the violations.

"It’s our intention to notify the liquor licensees in that county that we will be going down and doing inspections and if they don’t comply, we will be citing them for violations," Walding says. He says those establishments would then face hearings or could make a settlement. Walding says, "The end goal of course is to gain compliance with the law and to bring all licensees on a level playing field with those who are currently complying with the law."

The smoking ban will be one year old in July and Walding says all the actions are part of adjusting to the law. Walding says if you draw the analogy to the seatbelt law that got changed over a decade ago, he says it took awhile for the "public to the recognize that paradigm shift in thinking."

He says the due process is now starting to take its course in the smoking ban. Walding says it takes about nine months to go through the administrative process for those establishments that aren’t complying, and as that process plays out, people see the consequences if they don’t comply.

The one big test remaining for the law is how a court would rule on its constitutionality. The owner of Otis Campbell’s is considering such an appeal. Walding says the chances of having Iowa’s smoking ban thrown out in court appear slim based on what’s happened in other states that implemented a ban. You can find a complete list of the smoking ban actions here.  

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Health & Medicine Tagged With: ,

Winnebago County man charged with trying to kill mother

April 15, 2009 By

A Winnebago County man is charged with attempted murder after authorities say he tried to kill his mother last week. Timothy Winter of Lake Mills was arrested on Friday in St. Cloud, Minnesota, after police started searching for him late Thursday night.

Authorities say Winter’s mother suffered severe cuts to her face, an ear and a hand. Winter was brought back to Iowa on Tuesday and appeared yesterday afternoon before a magistrate in Winnebago County, where his bond was set at $100,000 cash only.

Cynthia Winter, at last report, was listed in fair condition at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa.

 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts
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