Republicans in the legislature are backing away from their promise to spend 40-million dollars to raise teacher salaries and link pay to performance. House Speaker Brent Siegrist, a republican from Council Bluffs, says with falling state tax revenues, that 40-million’s probably going to be used for other programs. Earlier this year, Siegrist and other republicans promised that 40-million dollars had been put in a “lock box” and would not be used for anything other than teacher pay. Democrats are criticizing the G-O-P for failing to release a budget plan. House Republican Leader Christopher Rants of Sioux City says the G-O-P is just taking it’s time to be sure their budget cuts are wise. House Democrat Leader Dick Myers says the lack of action can be directly linked to the work ethic of republican legislators, who again this week will work just a four-day week. The Iowa State Education Association, the state’s largest teacher’s union, is holding its annual convention today in Ames.
