Posted: March 9, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, March 06, 2009
Contact: Josie Klingaman (515) 419-1038
Paulsen Reacts to Governor’s Gas Tax Statement
(DES MOINES)—House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha) issued a statement reacting to Governor Chet Culver saying he will veto a gas tax increase:
“I’m pleased that the governor came out today and said he’s ready to start vetoing tax increases. As the governor says, there could not be a worse time to raise taxes on hardworking Iowans than during this time of economic downturn. This is why I would urge the governor to also publicly take removing Iowa’s federal deductibility off the table as well. Repealing federal deductibility would result in another significant tax increase on the backs of Iowans.”
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Posted: March 5, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Contact: Josie Klingaman (515) 419-1038
Democrats File Bill to Gut Iowa’s Right-to-Work Law
(DES MOINES)—Today House Democrats filed House File 555, a bill that will gut Iowa’s more than 60 year old right-to-work law. As filed, the bill forces both public and private, non-union members to pay union dues as a condition of their employment.
“Here we go again: instead of finding ways to put Iowans back to work, rebuild our economy and protect taxpayers, Democrats are focused on forced unionism,” said House Republican Leader Kraig Paulsen (R-Hiawatha). “House Republicans object to any attempt to garnish wages of workers and will fight against any attempt to repeal right-to-work.”
If forced union dues are conservatively estimated to be about $500 per year then the unions stand to collect about $19.5 million for their political coffers if this legislation is enacted.
In 2007, in a Wall Street Journal editorial, the paper pointed out, “If the Iowa legislature wanted to chase jobs and employers out of the state, they couldn’t come up with a better plan than undermining right to work.”
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