January 15, 1999

Press Release: NEWS FROM THE CAPITOL

From: State Representative Keith A. Kreiman

A NEW BEGINNING

The 1999 version of the Iowa Legislature started last week. If you can believe the leadership of each party, this will be a "bold and new" legislature aggressive in positioning Iowa for success in the next century. While I am optimistic for our "bold and new" legislature, there are too many important issues which it is likely to ignore this year. Worse, there are issues it will consider only for the purpose of gaining votes in the next election.

This "bold and new" legislature is unlikely to provide real help for Iowa’s family owned livestock operations. The same legislators who gave special protections to large corporate producers and took away the rights of local landowners and citizens are still running the show in the Legislature.

Unfortunately, the legislature will again pass a "taxpayers rights amendment" for political purposes. While on the surface it seems to provide protections for taxpayers, it would result in increases to local property taxes and decreases in budgets for local schools and libraries.

And, unfortunately, the legislature will again spend millions of our tax dollars very, very unwisely. In that category you can include millions of dollars paid to managed-care companies who deny necessary treatment to children and mentally ill people. That category also includes millions of dollars spent in "ware-housing" non-dangerous criminals, instead of making them work.

I will be spending a lot of my efforts this year trying to get effective solutions to the methamphetimine epidemic passed. These solutions need not be "bold and new". Frankly, they include making the users of drugs accountable for their actions. They also include requiring drug criminals to get treatment and to work.

My priorities in this year’s legislature will not be "bold and new". They will continue to be the protection and safety of our communities, the education of our children, wise spending of our tax dollars, and increased economic development in Southern Iowa. Your help and advice are important as we try to reach many of these goals together.

Finally, all of Iowa should say "thank you" to Governor Branstad for his years of dedicated public service. I enjoyed working with Governor Branstad on a few issues and wish him and his family happiness in the future.

We should also all wish Governor Vilsack the best of luck and give him our cooperation and support. The future of all of Iowa’s children and of our rural communities is brighter with his election.

Keep in touch!