Legislative leaders ready to start new session

The Iowa Legislature convenes this morning with 25 new members, and two veterans who’re thinking about moving on up. Action on issues like teacher pay and tax cuts will be shaped by two men who could end up being the Republican party’s nominee for Governor in 2002. This summer, Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows said he was considering a bid for governor. Three days ago, House Speaker Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs, the top republican in the House, said he may run for Governor.Siegrist doesn’t expect to “compete” with Iverson. He says he would be surprised if they ran against each other in a primary.If Siegrist or Iverson win the G-O-P nomination, they’d face democrat Governor Tom Vilsack who’s expected to seek a second term in office. Siegrist says his working relationship with Vilsack won’t change much now that he’s made his aspirations for Vilsack’s job known.While veterans like Siegrist and Iverson lead the House and Senate Republicans, there’s a new leader in the House for democrats. House Democrat Leader Dick Myers of Iowa City was elected by his colleagues in November.Myers owned a popular truck stop in Coralville and that experience colors his speech. For example, last week Myers joked “you get chicken one day and feathers the next.” He says chicken is a good day, getting feathers is a bad day.Myers says there’s no easy solution for the issues confronting lawmakers, like how much to increase teacher pay.