Caucus Night…
Week four has been different than most week fours. Monday the legislature was not in session so all of the legislators could be back home in their respective districts to attend their own caucuses. Our precinct caucus was one of the biggest crowds we have experienced. Our rural caucus had 135 voters cast a ballot with another five that were minors or not voting. This is true grassroots politics and the presidential selection process has begun. Some have asked why independents do not get to participate. First of all Iowa does not have a voter registration for independents. They register no-party. Second, they can participate if they choose to change their registration to one of the political parties; they can always change back to no-party after the caucus. In addition, why would a no-party register get to participate in a selection process for the nominee of president for a particular party? At our precinct caucus approximately 40% of the ballots cast were either first time registers or people changing their registrations to participate in the republican caucus. Several had never been to a caucus before. It was good to see the room full, people willing to participate and most were patient with the process. Personally, we may agree or disagree on those who finished in the top few positions, but I think we can all agree that Iowa should be the first in the Nation and our people put a lot of time and thoughtful consideration into their own selection process. Fellow Iowans you made me proud once again to be an Iowan.
News from the Hill…
I am not sure when we became a society of wimps, but Tuesday there were few legislators in the Iowa House Chamber because of a typical winter storm. The Iowa Senate did not even meet and was called off in advance. My wife and I left immediately after the caucus on Monday night to head back to Des Moines to beat the storm if in fact it would hit. Consequently I was able to get lots done in the Chamber with only about a third of the members present.
Broadband Rules…
Last year the bill to help incentivize the buildout of broadband in underserved areas was passed and went into effect July 1, 2015. The rules on the implantation of that bill are just now being written and will soon be submitted for public viewing and comment. I have been able to read the proposed rules and sit-down with the department of revenue to discuss some of the proposals and methodologies in determining contributory value. There seems to be a difference of opinion between some of the companies who own the fiber or broadband and the department who will determine that fiber’s value. I find myself in the middle of these discussions most of the time.
Water Quality…
There seems to be more discussion on should the State be doing more/spending more money on water quality. Everyone wants and expects to have good quality and safe drinking water at their immediate disposal. As humans everything we consume turns into waste, so we all attribute to the problem. So how do we all share in the solution? Unfortunately, when the Des Moines Water works filed a law suit, in my opinion simply for political gain, it immediately caused people to draw lines in the sand and take sides. This is not the best way to motivate people in finding serious solutions to a problem we are all somewhat responsible for creating. However, there are several people trying to come together and sit down at the same table to share a wide variety of ideas, finding solutions that are reasonable, workable and affordable to move forward. It often takes a healthy disagreement that leads to a discussion to find the best workable solution. Seldom do law suits that create divisions ever lead to anything but money being wasted on lots of things, except the very solutions they were supposed to be about in the first place. Discussion is an exchange of knowledge, an argument an exchange of ignorance.
“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next.” – Abraham Lincoln
For more information on these and other bills: www.legis.iowa.gov
Until next time,
Tom Sands
This week’s forums: Saturday, February 6th
9:00 – 10:30 AM Muscatine Community College Student Center
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM State Bank of Wapello Community Room