March 2018

Republicans made a pledge in their massive 2013 commercial and corporate property tax cuts that they would protect cities, counties and schools that lost revenue. They promised these local governments that they would replace or “backfill” the 10 percent lost property tax revenue. They promised to backfill this amount with state funds. Now, Republican legislators…

 Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard discusses recent shakeups up in Iowa politics as well as abortion legislation with returning guests State Representative Todd Prichard & Representative Amy Nielsen alongside Planned Parenthood lobbyist Erin Davison-Rippey.

After reading the paper and listening to the local news regarding the end of Bill Dix’s political career, I am reminded of a quote by John Dalberg-Acton, who wrote a letter to an Anglican Bishop. In it he said, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” As we move closer to the 2018…

Guest post via Johnson County Supervisor Kurt Freise. The Iowa Senate is considering a bill that would force Iowa’s 10 most populous counties (and only those 10) to use districts to elect Supervisors.  Not only that, but supervisors would be elected only by the people in those districts, not by everyone in the county.  It’s…

The consequences of now-former Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix’s relationship with a lobbyist did not end with just with his abrupt resignation. Ripple effects from the scandal that shook the Statehouse continue to be felt in the Capitol and beyond. Here’s what’s happening: Top Senate Aide Steps Down Ed Failor, the senior aide to former…

Why do Iowa law enforcement leaders oppose the Iowa Republicans’ anti-immigrant bill? The bill, SF481 (the so-called sanctuary bill), threatens to withhold state funds from cities and counties that they claim do not cooperate with federal immigration agents in holding undocumented immigrants for potential deportation. This bill has passed the Senate and may be up…

Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix’s abrupt resignation from the Iowa Senate following Iowa Starting Line’s article sets up a hurry-up-and-win special election for his now-vacant seat. When vacancies occur during the legislative session, the governor must schedule the election “at the earliest practical time” and give at least 18 days notice. It’s likely the special…

 Following the resignation of Iowa Senate leader Bill Dix, Iowa Starting Line Podcast host Pat Rynard speaks with show producer Chance Dorland about how he obtained the video and the process by which he went about researching his exclusive article (that preceded the resignation by only about three and a half hours), followed by a interview with…

Today’s special congressional election in Pennsylvania is incredibly important to both Democrats and Republicans. It gives Democrats another early test of their future success in the 2018 midterms. This congressional district’s voters chose Trump by 20 points in 2016, which makes a Democratic win a real game changer. This was such a safe red district…

Republican Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix announced this afternoon that he was resigning both from his leadership position and from the Iowa Senate following this morning’s publication of a Starting Line article that showed him in what appeared to be a romantic relationship with a Statehouse lobbyist. Senate Republicans announced they would hold a vote…