The big tax deal rolled out yesterday at the Statehouse is taking lumps on the left. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement says vote it down: Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund (CCI Action Fund) members blasted a tentative legislative deal to cut corporate property taxes after a confidential memo was leaked Thursday, saying the deal [...]

  Lawmakers come now to grace us with details of the big ‘ol tax deal: In the property tax area, the compromise calls for commercial and Industrial properties to be assessed at 95 percent of valuation retroactive to Jan., then at 90 percent starting on Jan. 1, 2014, and then at 90 percent thereafter. Currently, those properties [...]

  The governor’s state salary bill is out, including some proposed raises for elected officials. The Gazette’s Rod Boshart sent us the numbers: Proposed state salaries Office Current salary New salary effective Dec. 19, 2014 Governor 130,000 141,710 Lt. Governor 103,212 112,510 Sec. of Agriculture 103,212 112, 510 Sec. of State 103,212 112,510 State Treasurer 103,212 112,510 State Auditor 103,212 112,510 Attorney General 123,669 134,800 House Speaker 37,500 40,875 Senate President 37,500 40,875 Majority Leaders 37,500 40,875 Rank and File Lawmakers 25,000 27,250 Supco Chief Justice 170,850 186,220 Other justices 163,200 177,880 Chief District Judge 142,800 155,650 District judges 137,000 150,090 These don’t seem [...]

Our state lawmakers may be nearing a big deal on taxes, but mum’s the word. James Q. Lynch does his best to read the smoke signals : According to various reports, the property tax plan, which may be as large as $400 million, if approved by the split-control Legislature, will provide tax relief to commercial property owners and [...]

  The mayor poured cold water on congressional rumors. But the mayor pro tem  just might be in. Cedar Rapids City Council member Monica Vernon says she’s getting a lot of encouragement to run for the Democratic nomination in the 1st Congressional District. U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley is leaving the seat to run for the U.S. [...]

  We still don’t know all there is to know about the U.S. Department of Justice’s decision to secretly grab piles of phone records from the Associated Press. We know it was done as part of an investigation into leaks regarding a foiled terror plot, but we don’t know exactly how it was done, when, or [...]

  My dad was teaching my daughter to pitch Saturday as news of E. Wayne Cooley’s death made its way around Iowa. I guess that’s a fitting tribute to the man who led the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union from 1954 to 2002. In fact, every time an Iowa girl fires a fastball, sinks a [...]

My 33-minute podcast interview with Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett can be found here.

Mayor, definitely. Congress, probably not. Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett is now officially running for a second term. So far, he’s the only one interested in the job. Four years ago, there was plenty of buzz around mayoral possibilities. This time, zilch. “I’m sure that before the filing deadline comes that there will be other [...]

  So I heard this guy was coming to town who says he can bridge the stubborn divides in Iowa’s Republican ranks, making peace between the culture warring evangelicals and leave-me-alone libertarians and let’s-talk-about-the-economy country-clubby establishment folks. He’s going to grow the party nationally. Make it more diverse. Bring in Latino and African-American voters. Check [...]

So this was sort of a surprise. At least to me. With Gov. Terry Branstad’s school reform agenda hanging in the balance in the Legislature, its architect and salesman-in-chief is trolling for another job. Jason Glass, our Department of Education Director, is one of three finalists for the top job at Eagle County Schools in Colorado, [...]

So Cedar Rapids casino backers will have the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission’s undivided attention. On Tuesday, Warren County voters flatly rejected a gambling referendum, with 60 percent voting no. That smashed plans for a $145 million casino/hotel complex near Norwalk just south of Des Moines. And no bowling alley for you. The Register of Des [...]

  It turns out all the drama hasn’t spawned a dramatically altered Iowa Supreme Court. On Friday, the state’s highest court ruled 6-0 in favor of a married lesbian couple seeking to have each of their names listed on their daughter’s birth certificate. The Iowa Department of Public Health refused, naming only the birth mother but [...]

Earlier this week, I pointed out that Link Strategies, which guided Just Say No Casino forces in Linn County, is now working for  Vote Yes Warren County as voters south of Des Moines face a gambling referendum vote Tuesday. But, as an alert reader points out, that’s not the only flipping and flopping going on.   No Casino Warren [...]

  Earlier this week, Gov. Terry Branstad gave his frank assessment of who should not be running for U.S. Senate : “I really believe that Iowans want somebody that will serve in the Senate that will be an Iowa problem solver, not another congressman,” Branstad said this morning during his weekly news conference. “You know congress is a mess. [...]

  Now for the ceremonial changing of the grill. Each year, about this time, I roll my charcoal grill from its wind-sheltered winter quarters in front of my garage to its summer position on the back patio. A whiff of fresh cut grass. The first neighborhood kid in a swimsuit. I know it’s time. It’s [...]

  We had our casino referendum fun in March. But Warren County voters will go to the polls a week from today to decide on allowing gambling in their county just south of Des Moines. And things are getting interesting. Sure, no one’s promised a water park for a no vote. But still, interesting. Wild Rose [...]

  Linn County supervisors were warned about side effects. They put their salary on steroids anyway. Now, a couple of local guys unhappy with that decision , Richard Bice and Mike Engelken, are starting a drive to collect 10,000 signatures needed to call for the appointment of a county charter commission. That commission could recommend changes in [...]