Overview / Major Events
Iowa Senate delays action on significant workers compensation reform As predicted in this newsletter last Thursday, the House did pass a comprehensive package of reforms to Iowa’s century-old workers compensation system. After a long and “spirited” debate, House Republicans provided all 55 YES votes and sent HF 518 to the Senate. However, last week’s prediction that the Senate would act on the bill THIS week looks likely to be proved false, as I do not expect full consideration by the Iowa Senate until some time NEXT week. Senate Republican leaders remain confident the bill will be adopted in its present form and sent to the Governor, soon, but are focusing on some internal caucus issues to ensure further weakening of the bill does not occur during Senate consideration of a number of amendments. |
Iowa community bankers continue to show support of their local legislators by personally delivering contributions from the CBI PAC fund. Shown meeting with Iowa congressmen are (top left photo): (left) Jim Feudner, President of Bank Iowa-Oskaloosa and Iowa Rep. Guy Vander Linden (R-Dist. 79); (top right photo): (left) Iowa Senator Tim Kapuchian (R-Dist. 38) and Cameron Miles, President & CEO of Keystone Savings Bank-Keystone. Click each photo to see larger.
CBI has evolved their political efforts to concentrate on issues that are of benefit to Iowa’s community banks and their local economies. Our ability to bring forward those issues and projects and to coordinate with other like minded organizations, is supported by our ability to make political contributions to candidates and legislators. 100% of your contributions stay right here in Iowa. Community Bankers of Iowa Political Action Committee (CBI PAC), originally formed in the 1970s, has been vigilant in defense of the views and needs of independent bankers. Last week community bankers around Iowa showed their support of their local legislators by personally delivering contributions from the CBI PAC fund.
Shown meeting with Iowa congressmen are (top left photo): (left) Rep. Dave Maxwell (R-Dist. 76) and Mike Geiger, Vice President with County Bank in Sigourney; (top center photo): (L-R) Dave Caris, CEO-Community Bankers of Iowa, Senator Roby Smith (R-Dist 47), Jay Johnson, 1st Vice President-Quad City Bank & Trust (OCB&T) in Bettendorf, Mark Kilmer-QCB&T Board Chair, Chuck Topinka-Board Chair, Keystone Savings Bank in Keystone; (top right photo): (left) Rep. Lee Hein (R-Dist. 96) and Aaron Zumbach, Market President with Fidelity Bank & Trust in Anamosa. Click each photo to see larger. CBI has evolved their political efforts to concentrate on issues that are of benefit to Iowa’s community banks and their local economies. Our ability to bring forward those issues and projects and to coordinate with other like minded organizations, is supported by our ability to make political contributions to candidates and legislators. 100% of your contributions stay right here in Iowa. Iowa's elected officials and challenging candidates responded to questions about the Farm Credit System (FCS) at CBI's 4th State Fair Conference, a gathering of Iowa's community bankers and Iowa's leadership held yesterday in Altoona. The 80 banks in the Farm Credit System do not have to pay taxes on mortgage loan interest and other banks are lobbying congress to end that tax break. Supporters of the system say it’s a crucial source of financing for all of rural America, not just farmers.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley says he supports the FCS, but it has operated outside its charter. “They came to my office to talk to me and I brought up some of the loans that were very questionable loans,” Grassley says. “I got the feeling that they were very embarassed by the issues that I brought up with them.” Former Iowa Ag Secretary Patty Judge is the Democrat who’s challenging Grassley this year. “There are probably reforms that need to be made and I would suggest to you that we are going to have a real opportunity to do that next year as we write the new Farm Bill,” Judge says. Republican Congressman Steve King of Kiron says the FCS needs to refocus on helping farmers and agribusinesses stay afloat. “They write their own mission statement,” King says. “I asked the chair of the board that before an Ag Committee hearing some time back and, you know, my message to that was: ‘We may have to help you write that mission statement.'” Kim Weaver, a social worker from Sheldon, is the Democrat who’s challenging King. Weaver says she’s troubled by the FCSs loan to Cracker Barrel. “Even though it has a rather rustic appeal, it isn’t exactly a farm-related business,” Weaver says. “I would look at actually having a little bit more monitoring of that because I really don’t think it’s fair.”
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