Hot for ‘08: Your key state issue for 2008
Posted on October 19, 2007 in Politics by DM
In my day job, I work for an organization that does some political lobbying at the state level. We spend a lot of time each fall surveying those who are interested in our work to find out what issues are on their minds, and what their positions are on those issues, to develop our annual agenda.
So I’ve been wondering: who is surveying YOU to find out what you would like your State Legislature to focus on in 2008?
*sound of crickets chirping*
That’s what I thought. Okay, so here’s your chance: this is the official HOT FOR ‘08 state legislative “wish list” thread. All you have to do is leave a comment below with a brief statement of something you’d like the State Legislature of Iowa to consider, or an issue you’d like them to address, in the next session.
Only two rules:
1. Issues must be something germaine to the Iowa Legislature. National issues and local community issues don’t go here unless there is action the State can reasonably take to influence the issue.
2. This isn’t an “ugly debate” thread. Contrary opinions are welcome, but name-calling and meaningless snarky comments are not allowed.
Let’s hear ‘em!
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9 comments to “Hot for ‘08: Your key state issue for 2008”
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Here are two of them worth discussing. #1. Smoking should be banned at all enclosed public restaurants, pubs, taverns and the like. Many people cannot be around tobacco smoke for one reason or another.
#2. It should be mandatory for all radio stations to break into their regularly broadcasts immediately whenever a severe weather warning or other public safety hazard announcement is broadcast. I can recall two occasions when two radio stations serving the Des Moines area did not interrupt their broadcasts to broadcast tornado or severe thunderstorm warnings. In one case, the play-by-play of a college football game went on even though the storm in question had become a killer. When it comes to severe weather, there is no excuse to dilly-dally.
Lower taxes, lower spending……
Hot for ‘08…
Transparency in all aspects of government spending, contract assignments, and in campaign contributions.
~I would like to see the legislature deal with predatory lending of all sorts, including setting caps on fees and interest rates set by credit card companies. Banks are increasing their profits on the backs of everyday folks, who when they miss a credit card payment by one day, can end up paying thousands of dollars in fees and interest charges over time. Laws are meant to protect people from predatory practices such as these.
~It’s time to make smoking in public places, including bars, restaurants and bowling alleys illegal. It’s not only a public health issue, it’s an employees rights issue. Everyone has the right to breathe clean air while at work, not just office workers.
This is a self-serving request, but important. I am assigned to the DCI’s Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) task force. Although federally funded at the moment, those funds won’t be available forever. I hope the legislature takes up the matter of keeping the statewide task force funded. We serve every law enforcement agency in the state and without proper funding those agencies would have no where else to turn.
Hmm, so many issues.
How about these:
Ban cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in all public places.
Tougher crimes/less opportunity for parole for sex offenders.
Get Iowa teacher pay in the top 10% of the states.
Thanks for asking!
Drew
I would like to better understand where our dollars are going in the state, especially as they involve education. I’m also concerned about the environment and how state funds and resources are being used to help improve land and water quality.
Since posing this question to all of you, I have done some hard thinking - it is very difficult to pick a state-level issue, and I really appreciate the fact that so many of you have been able to do so! I think that we’ve lost a lot of ground in our educational system that we must regain. I’d also love to see some level of government (ANY level of government) have the guts to take a stand on extraneous spending - let’s take a hard look at all the programs our state runs, decide what our priorities are, and fund those. Return the rest in the form of lower taxes. (Do we really NEED to have a government program aimed at every problem??)
I so appreciate everyone’s participation! Thanks - keep ‘em coming!
[...] fall, I wondered aloud if anyone was polling you to find out what issues you wanted the State Legislature to cover in its 2008 session. You had some interesting thoughts, but a common thread was the desire to see a [...]