As we near the end of the 2013 session, we continue to work through the various budget areas, working on behalf of the hardworking taxpayers of Iowa to ensure the budget principles I have previously outlined are used to get the state’s fiscal house in order. As a reminder:

• Republican budgets do not spend more money than the state takes in;
• Republican budgets do not use one-time money to pay for on-going expenses;
• Republican budgets do not intentionally underfund entitlement programs to balance the state’s budget;
• Republican budgets will return unused tax dollars to Iowa’s taxpayers.

I want to take a moment to thank all of the high school pages, particularly the Speaker’s page, who worked in the House this year. Every year when legislators descend upon the Capitol and go to work on behalf of Iowans, they are joined by some of Iowa’s brightest and most talented high school students. These students spend the session (or half session) as Legislative pages – serving in the House, Senate and Legislative Services Agency.

As the Speaker of the House, I have an office page that assists me and my staff. His primary responsibility is running the soundboard in the chamber. I’ve asked him to share his perspective on being a page with you below.

Hello, my name is Keith Paulsen, and I am a homeschooled Senior from Hiawatha, Iowa. I am the son of the Speaker of the Iowa House of Representatives, Kraig Paulsen, and I am serving as his page during this legislative session.

Originally, I first heard about the page program eleven years ago when my father was a newly-elected representative and I saw the pages busying about on the House floor. I have wanted to be a page at the Capitol since that day. I’ve visited the Iowa State Capitol multiple times during sessions since then, however I hadn’t given being a page much serious thought until my dad brought it up to me last summer. When he did I knew that I wanted to do it.

Because I am the Speaker’s Page I have a plentiful amount of responsibilities, these are a few of them. I am in charge of transporting the gavel and striking block to and from the Speaker’s office and rostrum on the House floor. While on the floor, I run the microphones and timer during debate. In addition to these things I also do office errands, answer the phone, greet people that come into the office, run documents to other offices, process mail, keep the fridge and copier fully stocked of supplies and any other odd job that is found fit for me to do.

The most enjoyable part of my job is getting the opportunity to meet and talk with a large variety of different people here at the Capitol. Some of these people are representatives who come from different parts of the state, with different backgrounds and ideas about the state and how to make it better. I also get to meet the people that come into the Speaker’s office to talk to him. This brings a wide variety of people that ranges from constituents from his district, visitors from around the state, organizations, lobbyists and more that come to talk about issues of concern. There are many other people that I get talk to, some that work at the Capitol and others that are visiting.

Working at the Capitol as the Speaker’s page has been an exceptional experience for me. I have been able to listen and learn about the legislative process and see it happening firsthand, and all of the work and time that goes into it. I have seen the politics of decision making and what happens because of those decisions. I have talked with people from around the state and hear the interests of Iowans. The greatest of all my experiences though has been the opportunity to work for my dad, the Speaker, and spend time learning from him.

I would recommend the page program to anyone and encourage them to do it, especially those that are interested in politics, it is a great opportunity.
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Keith is more than just my page, he’s my son and it’s been a tremendous experience having him serve as my page this session. I am very proud of the work he – and all the pages – have done this year. If you know someone who might be interested in serving as a page during the next session, you can find more information here https://www.legis.iowa.gov/DOCS/lsaReports/pageInfo/PageApplication.pdf or contact me if you have questions (515) 281-3521 or kraig.paulsen@legis.iowa.gov

We had another successful week in the House. Several more budget bills moved through the process and were sent to bipartisan conference committees where they will hopefully find resolution quickly.

As the budgets have been moving through the House and Senate, it has become clear that Democrats have already begun to surpass their own budget targets.

In February, House Republicans and Senate Democrats each released their budget targets. At that time, Senate Democrats proposed spending $6.9 billion in Fiscal Year 2014 ($487 million more than House Republicans) resulting in an 11 percent increase in state General Fund spending over last year’s level. The Senate proposal spends over $1.05 for every dollar of state revenue.

By contrast, the House Republican budget spends 98 cents for every dollar of state revenue. The Fiscal Year 2014 proposal by House Republicans spends $6.4139 billion. This is a 3 percent increase over last year’s spending level and it protects priority services in the areas of education, health and human services and public safety.

Over the last 20 years, state revenue has averaged 3.4 percent growth.

As budgets have been working through the legislative process over the past few weeks, it has become clear that Senate Democrats have already surpassed their own unsustainable budget targets. The budgets that passed the Senate have spent nearly $47 million more than what their initial targets laid out. These changes have raised the amount of the Senate’s budget to an 11.6% increase in state General Fund spending over last year’s level, and they still have not acted on the Standings bill.

The House Republicans’ budgets outline principles used to get the state’s fiscal house in order:
• Republican budgets do not spend more money than the state takes in;
• Republican budgets do not use one-time money to pay for on-going expenses;
• Republican budgets do not intentionally underfund entitlement programs to balance the state’s budget;
• Republican budgets will return unused tax dollars to Iowa’s taxpayers.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. My office phone is (515)281-3521 or email is kraig.paulsen@legis.iowa.gov.

This week, in an effort to come to resolution on the education reform plan which is currently before a House and Senate Conference Committee, House Republicans made a reasonable offer for Iowa students. The plan, saves taxpayer money, allows schools to plan ahead for the long term, and implements policy changes focused on achievement-driven reforms.
The new House proposal seeks to find compromise with the Senate on the funding side of things, while maintaining the bill as passed by the House which accomplishes education reform in a meaningful and thoughtful way.
The details include:
–Keep intact policy language and appropriations for House File 215.
–2 percent increase in Supplemental State Aid (formerly allowable growth) for Fiscal Year 2014, plus a one-time payment equivalent to 2 percent SSA.
–4 percent increase in Supplemental State Aid for Fiscal Year 2015.

The funding levels for the new plan are illustrated below:
New House Proposal FY14 FY15
2% / 4% Supplemental State Aid $69 million $111 million
2% one-time payment $57.1 million -
Property Tax Relief $8.3 million $17.1 million
Reform costs $10.2 million $68 million
Total $144.6 million $196.1 million

As a comparison, the House previously passed $87.5 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and $119.3 million in Fiscal Year 2015. The Senate originally passed $135 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and $305 million in Fiscal Year 2015.

Additionally, key pieces of House File 215 that would remain intact are:
-Home Rule which provides more local control for school boards.
-The Teach Iowa Initiative designed to recruit high-quality candidates to the teaching profession.
-A new evaluation system designed to include student achievement and growth, classroom observation and student surveys.
-Freedom for homeschool and private schools.

This plan offers flexibility for school districts, accountability for parents and protection for taxpayers. I am hopeful that the Senate takes this reasonable offer under serious consideration.

As always, if you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at my office at (515) 281-3521 or by email at kraig.paulsen@legis.iowa.gov

We saw some positive movement this week as the Senate sent the House education reform bill (HF 215) back to our chamber. It now heads to conference committee where members will work through the differences. I am confident that they will come to resolution.

We are closing in on four weeks left in the scheduled 2013 legislative session. When the eighty-fifth General Assembly began, House Republicans committed to remaining focused on ways to make Iowa strong. We laid out a plan to create certainty with balanced budgets, promote job creation through tax relief and reform, and build strong schools and communities. Below is the current status update on pieces of our plan.

Strong Budget Leadership
The House has passed the Transportation, Administration and Regulation, Block Grants, and Education budget bills and sent them to the Senate. One bill remains –Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure. We are still awaiting action from the Senate on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Health and Human Services, Justice Systems, Judicial Branch and Standings. They began moving the Economic Development late in the week.

As budget bills continue moving through the House, Republicans will stick to the principles:
We will not spend more money than the state takes in;
We will not use one-time money to pay for on-going expenses;
We will not intentionally underfund programs to balance the state’s budget;
We will return unused tax dollars to Iowa’s taxpayers.

Strong Economy
Iowa has the third highest commercial property taxes in the nation and the 16th highest residential property taxes in the nation. Iowans have been very clear that they want property tax reform and relief this year at the statehouse. House Republicans remain committed to property tax relief for all classifications of property. While there is a willingness to put all ideas on the table, Republicans have stressed that reform must be meaningful, inclusive and reliable because taxpayers need relief they can count on.

As we close week 12, the House has acted on our property tax relief and reform bill. This plan:
• Holds harmless property taxpayers anytime the state sets allowable growth funding.
• Eliminates additional property tax levies associated with allowable growth funding, reducing the share of money that is put on the backs of Iowa property taxpayers. On average, this would save Iowa taxpayers $2.70 per $1,000 in property valuation when fully implemented.
This bill continues to move through the House.

Secondly, the House sent the Senate a bill to cut income taxes. This plan:
• Gives Iowans a choice when paying their income taxes, either the current system or a 4.5 percent flat tax with zero deductions or credits. No one will pay higher income taxes under this plan.
• Makes Iowa’s tax system simpler, flatter, and fairer.
• Raises the filing threshold so that the first $6,235 (or $12,450 for married couple) would not be taxed.
This bill passed the House and is awaiting Senate action.

Lastly, the House plans to fully fund the property tax credits – including the homestead, veterans and disabled tax credits — in the budget. Instead of making empty promises to Iowa taxpayers, House Republicans are fulfilling commitments that have been made to them.
This continues to move through the House.

Strong Schools and Communities
House Republicans are concerned about the quality and rigor of the education our children are receiving. We are concerned that students are not graduating with the mastery necessary to succeed in college or with the skills needed to enter the workforce which is why we moved forward on an education reform plan. This plan is bold, accountable, innovative and focuses state education spending on achievement-driven reforms that align our investments with practices and programs that have demonstrated improving student performance.
This bill passed the House, was amended by the Senate and sent to Conference Committee.

I look forward to more progress being made on these issues as we move through the session. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at my office at (515) 281-3521 or by email at kraig.paulsen@legis.state.ia.us