SPM News

041519 504 Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking lawmakers for $15 million from the ending balance of the current year's budget for immediate work on levees and repairs in flooded communities. She's also seeking $10 million from next year's budget to accelerate housing improvements. Reynolds announced her request Monday, saying federal money often takes months or years to arrive. The announcement that long-time Congressman Dave Loebsack is retiring is opening up a race in a district thought to be

041519 1204 The political news website Roll Call has changed its rating of Iowa’s second congressional district from solid Democratic to a toss-up. After long-time Representative Dave Loebsack announced he’s retiring, the southeast corner of the state may not stay reliably democratic. That’s according to Central College political scientist Andrew Green. 0415green: 16 “It has to be considered a toss-up district. The fact that…as I…the fact that Congressman Loebsack won re-election on the same

041519 432 Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking lawmakers for $15 million from the ending balance of the current year's budget for immediate work on levees and repairs in flooded communities. She's also seeking $10 million from next year's budget to accelerate housing improvements. Reynolds announced her request Monday, saying federal money often takes months or years to arrive. Reynolds also announced the creation of a Flood Recovery Advisory Board, which will coordinate state recovery efforts.

041219 404 Governor Kim Reynolds is creating a new state board to oversee the response to last month’s catastrophic flooding. Reynolds said, To move forward, it’s critical that we not only provide funding at the state level but also have a central point of coordination and plan to use the funds. Reynolds issued an executive order this morning, establishing a 15-member Flood Recovery Advisory Board. She’ll be the board’s chairwoman. The governor also is asking legislators to set aside $25 million

041519 1204 The political news website Roll Call has changed its rating of Iowa’s second congressional district from solidly Democratic to a toss-up. After long-time Representative Dave Loebsack announced he’s retiring, the southeast corner of the state may not stay reliably democratic. That’s according to Central College political scientist Andrew Green. 0415green: 16 “It has to be considered a toss-up district. The fact that…as I…the fact that Congressman Loebsack won re-election on the same

041219 532 On a visit to flood-damaged southwest Iowa today (Friday/yesterday), Vice President Mike Pence said Iowa is in need of immediate disaster assistance. A more-than-13-billion-dollar disaster aid package has stalled in the Senate because of Democratic opposition, over hurricane relief money for Puerto Rico. Pence acknowledged the wave of Democrats coming to Iowa for the Caucuses, who voted against disaster assistance. (0412pence 0:15)) There will be plenty of time for politics when 2020

041219 504 Democratic presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand will make her fourth 2019 campaign swing through Iowa, and plans to speak in Crawford County among the 10 events. She will campaign this time in Iowa from April 17-19. On that final day, Gillibrand will speak at 1:15 p.m. at Cronk’s Cafe, in Denison. Gillibrand is a U.S. senator from New York, and her first Iowa event of the year in January was held in Sioux City . The other events will be primarily held in the southwest and central

041219 432 Next week, members of the Iowa House will debate HB 773, which would prevent counties and cities from raising property taxes above a certain level each year. The Sioux City Council will consider a resolution opposing the bill at next Monday’s meeting. At a news conference this morning, City manager Bob Padmore that the bill would result in a two-percent increase limit that would have to cover the fire department and police department, which use most of the city’s property tax dollars.

041219 404 The Sioux City Council will consider a resolution at next Monday’s meeting that will oppose House Bill 773, which would establish budget limitations for counties and cities. City manager Bob Padmore said at a news conference this morning, that the measure would limit the city’s property tax growth to two percent annually. “It’s called a soft cap, which means the council could vote to override it, but then it would be subject to a vote from the people if they choose to override that

041119 532 The state of Iowa would launch a review of whether prescription drug industry middlemen are overcharging the state’s Medicaid program under a proposal approved by the Iowa House of Representatives. Democratic Representative John Forbes proposed the audit after doing an initial review that he says indicates this might be a problem in Iowa. Forbes says the state of Ohio found pharmacy benefit managers overcharged its Medicaid program by more than 200-million dollars. Representative Joel