February 9, 2012

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Branstad, Vander Plaats tangle again

February 6, 2012 By

Governor Terry Branstad and Bob Vander Plaats — candidates who competed in a contentious Republican primary in 2010 — are still quarrelling in public. 

The latest skirmish comes over an anti-bullying conference — the Governor’s Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Youth. Bob Vander Plaats, the second-place finisher in the 2010 GOP Primary, is now the CEO of a conservative Christian organization called The Family Leader. Vander Plaats issued a statement this morning (read it here) saying Governor Terry Branstad and his staff were “puppets to a far-left agenda” by refusing to take the governor’s name off that conference.

Branstad’s response?  

“I can’t help but laugh at that,” Branstad told reporters this morning, after he and his staff laughed when a reporter read Vander Plaats’ statement aloud. “I’m not a puppet to anybody. He knows better than that.”

Vander Plaats asserts that the conference will help “accelerate” a gay agenda in Iowa schools. Branstad last week said he believes in treating everyone with respect and dignity and no one should be bullied in school.

The annual Governor’s Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Transgender and Bisexual Youth is put on by the “Iowa Safe Schools” group. It was started during former Governor Tom Vilsack’s tenure and continued during Governor Chet Culver’s term in office. Both Vilsack and Culver are Democrats.

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

State commissioner suing governor speaks (audio)

January 18, 2012 By

The man who’s suing the governor for cutting his salary appeared before a legislative committee this afternoon, citing a raft of statistics about the state agency he manages.

Governor Branstad asked Iowa Workers Compensation Commissioner Christopher Godfrey to resign last year. When Godfrey refused to do so, Branstad reduced his annual salary by $36,000. Godfrey spoke with reporters following his testimony before the House Labor Committee.

“It was an opportunity for me to show some of the good things that are going on within the agency, show the efficiencies that we’ve had, show the fairness of the agency,” Godfrey said. “I think there’s been some accusations that cloud that, but we were certainly able to prove that we’re on the right side of that.”

AUDIO of Godfrey’s appearance before the House Labor Committee.

Governor Branstad has hired a Des Moines attorney to represent him, as Godfrey is suing for a million dollars in damages, accusing Branstad of trying to force him out of the job because Godfrey is gay. Someone from the law firm Branstad hired videotaped Godfrey’s remarks to the House Labor Committee. Godfrey told reporters he felt no extra pressure.

“It would be pressure if the work that I’ve done before the agency was not positive, but I think it’s quite universally a good thing that I’ve done to the agency and I think it’s in a better place and I think the statistics of the agency prove that the work that we’re doing is quite effective,” Godfrey said. “And, you know, I’m proud of the work that we’re doing.”

Roxanne Conlin, Godfrey’s attorney, sat by his side during today’s meeting in case a legislator asked about the lawsuit, but the subject was never raised. Godfrey cited statistics indicating the agency has reduced its backlog of appeals since 2006, when Godfrey was appointed to the post by Democratic Governor Tom Vilsack.

Republican Governor Terry Branstad has said business owners have complained to him about the way Godfrey’s running the agency and that’s why he asked Godfrey to resign. Last week Branstad said he is “not satisfied” with Godfrey’s job performance and the governor said his staff has compiled “a number” of cases in which Godfrey has been “biased against business.”

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

Vilsack talks about concerns over proposed U.S.D.A. cuts

January 10, 2012 By

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is addressing concerns about his agency’s plan to close 259 U.S.D.A. offices, labs and other facilities. Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, told reporters in a teleconference today that the closures are in response to Congressional budget cuts.

The goal is to trim U.S.D.A. expenses by $150 million a year. Vilsack said the plan involves $90 million in savings through reduced travel and supplies. The office and lab closures would account for the remaining $60 million in savings.

Vilsack does not anticipate widespread layoffs as nearly 7,000 U.S.D.A.  employees took early retirement last year and many workers will be given the opportunity to transfer to other offices. Critics of the plan have raised concerns about the possible effect on food safety.

“I want to be very clear about this – the office closings we announced in the food safety area are about administrative personnel. They are not about inspectors,” Vilsack said. “We did not deal with the inspector issue at all. We’re still going to be in every single plant. The inspectors will continue to do the work that they’re doing in those plants and it will have no impact whatsoever on our responsibility to ensure the safety of the food supply in the United States.”

In Iowa, the so-called “Blueprint for Stronger Service” would close three Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices in Appanoose, Decatur and Union Counties. In addition, a Natural Resource Conservation Service office in Jefferson County would be shut down.

Vilsack said public hearings will be held within 30 days in the counties where FSA offices are to be closed.

Filed Under: Agriculture, News Tagged With:

Grassley studying proposed cuts to the U.S.D.A.

January 10, 2012 By

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is unveiling a plan for massive cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The proposal calls for closing nearly 260 labs, offices and other federal ag facilities in 46 states, including at least four closures in Iowa.

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s still studying the lengthy list. “I’m going to have to look at the impact that it has on Iowa,” Grassley says. “I think we have four or five county offices closed in Iowa and one, I believe, soil conservation office that’s closed in another county.”

Secretary Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, says the closings will save the U.S.D.A. about 150-million dollars a year. The agency’s total budget tops $145-billion. Vilsack released a statement saying the U.S.D.A. must “be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars.”

Grassley says he’s not sure if he’d support Vilsack’s plan. “I don’t know what the impact is, but I know that probably because we’re going to have to save money, it’s got to come from someplace,” Grassley says. “What I’m looking at is how this impacts Iowa and is it fair to Iowans and can the farmers be serviced the way they should be.”

In Iowa, the published list of proposed closings includes three Farm Service Agency offices in Centerville, Leon and Creston, and a Natural Resource Conservation Service office in Fairfield. Vilsack says many of the offices slated for closure have few workers or are located close by other offices.

It’s still unclear how many jobs would be impacted.

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

Lieutenant Governor’s role has evolved over the years

December 23, 2011 By

Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds and Governor Terry Branstad. (file photo)

It has now become routine to see Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds standing next to Governor Terry Branstad at news events and during his weekly meeting with the media — but that’s not the way things have always been.

The role of lieutenant governor has been evolving since the late 1980′s when the state constitution was changed so the governor and lieutenant governor could run on the same party ticket.

Before the change it was not uncommon for each official to be from opposite parties. The assigned duties were also different then.

Art Neu served as Lieutenant Governor from 1973 to 1978 when the job was to preside over the Iowa Senate. “I assigned bills to committees, I named members of the committees, and I named the chairman of the committees, and I would argue vigorously that this was a far more important job and certainly entails a lot more power than it does today. It was not however as visible because under Vilsack, under Culver and apparently now under Branstad they’re almost like twins tied together,” according to Neu.

During Branstad’s first stint as governor, he recruited State Senator Joy Corning as his running mate. “And at that time I said what will the lieutenant governor do? Because when we made the change in the constitution the duties were not specified other than to say ‘the duties will be assigned by the Governor’,” Corning explained.

Corning sat in on budget meetings, went on trade missions, and headed up special projects on diversity and literacy. She also campaigned to stop violence against women. The job was not that much different than it is today, but it was less visible.

Sally Pederson served as lieutenant governor when Branstad did not run again and Tom Vilsack won the office. Pederson was the first to begin participating in the weekly news conferences, and says it was a true partnership, which she discovered was the exception across the country.

Peterson says, “I knew from talking with my colleagues that most of them were sort of envious of the relationship that the Governor and I had. And I don’t think we’re likely to go back.” In fact, Iowa’s next governor elevated the position again.

Former Lt. Governor Patty Judge.

Chet Culver named Patty Judge as his running mate before he’d even secured the nomination and once elected, chose her to lead the Iowa Department of Homeland Security. Branstad says he had a good working relationship with Corning, but admits the position has evolved.

“I think Vilsack took it another step and I think Culver was very astute in teaming up with Patty Judge. I think she really got him elected because of the appeal that she had to the agriculture community. And we gave a lot of thought to it this time,” Branstad says.

“Part of it because the fact that, you know, I’m older and so I wanted a lieutenant governor that I felt could take over, somebody I would feel real comfortable with and shared my values and my philosophy.”

Branstad believes Reynolds is as prepared to be Governor as any lieutenant governor before her, because of the prominent position she’s played in his administration.

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Vilsack says unemployment rate declining faster in rural America

December 14, 2011 By

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says an Iowa family with a $50,000 annual income would see nearly $1600 more taken out of their January paycheck if congress doesn’t vote to extend the payroll tax cut. 

“It is really important for us to continue the momentum that’s been building in rural communities. The unemployment rate has gone down in rural America at a faster rate than in any other part of the country. It’s now below the unemployment rate in urban centers for the first time in a while,” Vilsack says. “We want to continue that and the last thing this economy needs is for small businesses and families to receive a tax increase.”

According to Vilsack, the proposal President Obama’s pressing congress to pass also would mean a tax cut for 60,000 small businesses in Iowa.

“Some farm families and operations actually hire workers and so the payroll tax for small business would also impact and affect their operations in terms of the bottom line,” Vilsack says, “so whether you’re a farm-owner with employees or you’re working off the farm, this proposal matters.”

The Republican-led U.S. House passed a bill that would extend the payroll tax cut, but it also would speed approval of an oil pipeline from Canada, as Republicans say the project will create jobs. Democrats oppose the pipeline provisions and argue federal inspectors need more time to examine questions about the oil pipeline that would stretch from Alberta to Texas. Vilsack raps Republicans for dragging out the debate, since both parties now agree the payroll tax should be extended.

“This is the problem with Washington. This is the problem with congress. It’s the reason why they’re at a record low in terms of citizen satisfaction and approval,” Vilsack says. “In Iowa, when I was governor, I worked with a Republican legislature. We got things done because people expected us to get things done. That’s what they were paying us to do.” 

Vilsack argues “momentum” in the economy is at stake if congress doesn’t come to some agreement.

“Virtually every noted economist in this country, whether they’re progressive or conservative, have indicated that the payroll tax extension and expansion will be helpful to the economy, will help to stimulate economic activity,” Vilsack says, “which in turn will lead to job growth.” 

Vilsack made his comments this morning during a telephone interview with Radio Iowa.

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King says race against Christie Vilsack in “top five” nationally

November 25, 2011 By

Republican Congressman Steve King says he does not anticipate voluntarily going back into the business world.

King, who is 62 years old, owned and operated a western Iowa earth-moving company when he was elected to the state senate in 1996. He’s been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives since 2003.

“I don’t anticipate going back to the private sector. I’m all in on public service,” King says. “I love this work and I’ve told people a number of times that this is nine years in congress — it’s gone by like it was a single year.”

King plans to seek reelection to congress in 2012 and he will likely face Democrat Christie Vilsack, Iowa’s former first lady whose husband is a cabinet secretary in the Obama Administration. King predicts the contest will be among the top five most closely-watched congressional races in the country.

“I take the reelection effort for the new fourth district very seriously,” King says, “…seriously enough to put out some effort to raise some money the last quarter.”

King raised over $600,000 in the first three quarters of the  year and had half-a-million dollars cash in his campaign account at the end of September. Christie Vilsack raised nearly $760,000 during the same period and on September 30 had over $545,000 cash on hand.

But there’s a major political event before the November 2012 election — the Iowa Caucuses. King sponsored a forum last February in Des Moines that featured a handful of politicians who said at the time they were mulling a race for the White House. King says there are a “couple of things” that are “holding him back” from endorsing one of the 2012 candidates.

“I don’t yet see a presidential candidate that’s laid out a financial plan for America, that fixes this financial problem that we are in. I am calling upon them to do that, put that plan out,” King says. “The second thing is I haven’t heard yet from any of them the ‘Shining City on a Hill’ speech that lets me understand that they have the vision for the destiny of America. Those two things are a couple of things that could settle me on a candidate, if I heard them.”

King has been a long and ardent critic of the concept of “amnesty” for illegal immigrants and he says the views Newt Gingrich holds on that issue make it “hard” to think of endorsing Gingrich.

King made his comments during taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press,” which airs tonight at 7:30. The video of the show has been posted online.

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