The three members of a state forecasting board agree state tax receipts will grow, but not by much in the next 18 months. "In the eight weeks since we met last, little has changed economically. The underlying fundamentals of the national and state economy remain sound. The economy continues to be … [Read more...]
Dispute develops in Trump Administration on trade war compensation for farmers
A top U.S.D.A. official suggests President Trump will have to referee a dispute within his administration about federal payments to partially cover farm losses due to the trade war. U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Censky was in Iowa met with commodity group representatives Thursday … [Read more...]
Final approval given to $2.5 million tax break for Prospect Meadows
A huge complex of 17 baseball and softball fields planned in eastern Iowa now has administrative approval for a $2.5 million state tax rebate. The development is in Marion and it's called Prospect Meadows. Legislators voted to give Prospect Meadows the same sales tax rebate offered to the … [Read more...]
State auditors confirm tardy IRS filings from Marshalltown schools
State officials have identified hundreds of thousands of dollars of sloppy bookkeeping in the Marshalltown Community School District. Allison Meyer was a payroll specialist for Marshalltown schools until she was placed on administrative leave on June 13th of this year. She resigned the next day. … [Read more...]
With ethics complaint pending, Boulton not assigned to any senate panels
A Democratic state senator facing sexual misconduct allegations hasn't been assigned to any committees for the upcoming legislative session. Last month, a woman filed an ethics complaint alleging State Senator Nate Boulton of Des Moines had harassed her, before he was elected to the senate. … [Read more...]
Lawyer examined archives, says Bush definitely won 1980 Iowa Caucuses
A controversial episode in Iowa Caucus history has apparently been solved. The Iowa Republican Party's computer crashed on Caucus Night back in 1980. George H.W. Bush was declared the winner, but Ronald Reagan's supporters have long maintained that if all the straw poll ballots had been counted … [Read more...]
Davenport company faces lawsuit in the sale of sports promotional materials
Iowa's attorney general is accusing a Davenport family of a fraud scheme linked to promotional materials, like calendars and programs for high school sports. The civil lawsuit has been filed against Alphonso Barnun, his wife and his mother as well as their businesses -- City Wide Promotions, Top … [Read more...]
Bar codes show 29 uncounted ballots in Northeast Iowa race were mailed on time
Court documents indicate 29 uncounted ballots in a close legislative race in northeast Iowa were mailed by the deadline. Kayla Koether, a Democrat from Decorah, asked for a recount in her race against Republican Representative Michael Bergen of Dorchester. She finished nine votes behind Bergen … [Read more...]
Report says $130,000 spent in Waukee schools not in taxpayers’ best interest
A special investigation by the state auditor's office has identified $130,000 in spending in a central Iowa school district that was "not in the best interest of taxpayers." Auditors reviewed three-and-a-half years worth of records, flagging nearly $28,000 spent on furniture for the … [Read more...]
Reynolds names charities for excess inaugural funds
Governor Kim Reynolds is designating four charities as the beneficiaries for any left-over donations to her inauguration celebration. Reynolds, who has been governor since May of 2017, will be sworn into her first, full four-year term as governor on January 18, 2019. There will be an inauration … [Read more...]