February 14, 2008

HIGHLITES FROM THE SENATE

SENATOR MARK ZIEMAN

It truly is amazing how time flies when you are busy. Even though we are 1/3rd of the way through this session, the amount of work left to be accomplished is overwhelming – first and foremost balancing the budget.

State Auditor David Vaudt stated it best when he warned that “we can’t continue to kick the can down the road”. When combined with the poor budget decisions made last year, the current decisions will mean major fiscal issues loom in our very near future and for years down the road. The Governor has proposed backfilling these deficits by using the balances in the Senior Living Trust Fund, in addition to monies in various tobacco and property tax credit funds. In my opinion, these one time funds will be drained quickly and will not be replenished.

The Governor has proposed selling $67 million in bonds in an attempt to balance the budget. This obligation would have to be repaid. Other objectionable options include raiding our “Rainy Day Fund”. This is inconceivable to me, considering the state is receiving record revenues. What will happen when we experience an economic downturn and the “Rainy Day Fund” has dried up?

The House of Representatives is considering legislation that would limit public smoking. Another pending proposal would eliminate the voter’s right to approve a local option sales tax for funding school infrastructure. The Senate leadership discovered last year that it wasn’t good policy to send controversial bills to the House -- never to be seen again.

The State Department of Public Health has been using tax dollars to buy anti-smoking advertising. We all are aware that smoking is not healthy, but I do not think $596,000 of our tax dollars should have been spent in this manner. The director of the department has been asked to justify this expenditure, considering there are shortfalls in other areas. This will continue to be a burning issue - pun intended!

On Saturday, February 23, Representative Gipp and I will be holding a forum at the Allamakee County Farm Bureau. We hope you can join us in Waukon starting at 9:30 a.m.

Respectfully,

SENATOR MARK ZIEMAN
Senate District 8

For further information or clarification, please contact me at the Capitol (515) 281-3371 or at my home (563) 864-3104.