The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page 16

4M The Dks Moines Rkgisterb Wednesday, February 12, 1992 State Capitol Report Hannon asks Senate debates school aid cuts Statehouse Notes voters to write code of ethics By PHOEBE WALL HOWARD Kkgistkh Staff Whitkr Iepley: Don't reduce teacher pay program State lawmakers shouldn't divert money from the $41 million state have experienced enrollment growth since last year. If lawmakers decide to leave the law unchanged, 121 of Iowa's 425 school districts would qualify for the school aid supplement because of creasing enrollments. Under Branstad's proposal to apply more stringent standards to the supplemental Sen. Beverly Hannon, startled at recent criticism from Iowa senior citizens of state legislators for lack of ethics, has issued a challenge. No action is taken on the controversial proposal, and Hutchins says, 'We'll let it cook By THOMAS A.

FOGARTY Rwiistkr Staff Wmtkr Caught squarely between public school educators back home and a gaping state budget problem, the Iowa Senate spent Tuesday debating a proposed cut in school aid. But lawmakers adjourned for the day without taking action on a proposal that would trim $12.7 million from school aid in the remaining five months of this fiscal year and another 15 million next year. "We'll let it cook overnight," said She wants vot aid, only 36 districts would quaiuy, and those districts would receive reduced payments. The Des Moines district, for example, stands to lose $2.2 million this ers to write a code of ethics for ym4 tm 1 the Legislature. strong opposition from public school lobbyists.

Spending Bill The proposed reduction in aid is part of a spending bill that would appropriate an extra $41.2 million to state agencies during the final months of the current budget year. Most of the money would go to the Department of Human Services to cover potential shortages in welfare programs. Without the savings from reduced school aid, state government would face a year-end budget deficit next June 30 even under its own lax accounting standards, which are designed to make it appear that the government has more money than it actually does. Both Hutchins and Minority Leader Jack Rife, R-Moscow, spoke in favor of the proposed reduction in school aid, saying it's a relatively mild money-saving measure compared with the tougher budget-balancing decisions that face lawmakers later this session. Senate Education Committee Chairman Michael Connolly, D-Du- buque, and other lawmakers offered a bipartisan amendment in floor debate that would preserve school aid at its current level.

Speaking against the amendment, Hutchins warned lawmakers they would have to look to more drastic measures if they fail to take advantage of Branstad's proposals for trimming school aid. "We're missing an opportunity with this amendment, and it's tough to get it back once you lose it," Hutchins said. He said state lawmakers met "a full-court press" in their districts last weekend from teachers, administrators and school board members across the state urging them to look elsewhere for ways to balance the state budget. Under standard ac-. counting principles, the state budget exceeds $300 million this year, officials say.

Would Raise Threshold The proposed school aid reduction the first major budget-cutting proposal of the 1992 session would raise the threshold for supplemental payments to districts that "Some people are so suspicious of anything we do. What is a year under the proposed change. West Des Moines schools would lose $606,000 under the proposal. Jan Reineke, lobbyist for the Iowa State Education Association, said her group notified public-school teachers last Friday of the impending aid cut, and asked them to contact their legislators to express opposition to the proposal. Reineke said lawmakers have public official supposed to be like? How are we Hannon AARP member ennnnspri tn art'" asked Hannon, D-Anamosa.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Hutchins, D-Audubon, in calling an end to program that supplements teachers' salaries, William Lepley, director of the Iowa Department of Education, said Tuesday. In response to questions from Senate Education Committee members, Lepley said the program, which rewards teachers for taking on additional responsibilities, is one of Iowa's best tools for innovation and sch(xil improvement. "If you eliminate it, how is the education community ever going to come back and ask you to invest in training and development of teachers or administrators?" said Lepley. "It would say to people it's not very important." Known as Phase III of the Excellence in Education program, the plan was initially approved by lawmakers in 1987. Although the program has many supporters, some have criticized it as a loosely administered boondoggle.

Sen. Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, said he's heard complaints about the program from educators. Kibbie asked Lepley to defend Gov. Terry Branstad's proposal for scaling back promised school aid payments when the appropriation for the controversial teacher pay program could be reduced instead. the Senate workday before the issue She directed her questions to members of the American Associa was resolved.

Lawmakers spent the tion of Retired Persons who said re day in private sessions and in floor deliberations debating the school aid cently they were disgusted with poli many alternatives to reducing school aid, including a tax increase or limitations on homestead property tax exemptions for high-priced houses. ticians. Hannon, 59, is a member and cut, which was proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad, a Republican. It has former secretary of AARP.

Lawmak ers are perplexed about what ex pected of them, she said. "You elect ordinary people to these public offices and then expect Panel: Law lax them to be extraordinary. Perfect. Lawmakers leave but still paid They're supposed to work hard, not to be corrupted by money or get too cozy with lobbyists. full $16,600 salary even though he SALARIES Hannon isn't a member of the Sen served only six months.

ate Ethics Com- Continued from Page 1M He then went on to collect half a year's salary from Dubuque County mittee, but she ger a legislator. said she would in his new treasurer sjob. Frankly, once you re sworn if convey voter in "It never occurred to me I shouldn't collect my salary from the Write Hannon at the state Capitol, Des Moines, 50319. you never show up again you've got a year's salary," Hultman said. put to the Senate committee.

She on municipal investments By DALE KASLER Rkcistkk Hi'sinkssWritkr Iowa law is too vague to properly regulate investments by municipalities, a state task force said Tuesday. The task force, formed in the wake of the Iowa Trust scandal, urged a tightening of the investment guidelines for municipalities. "The current 'legal list' of autho state, said Carr. "I was there through the whole session. I don't Jack Nystrom, a Boone Republican issued the follow ing questions: who resigned from the Iowa Senate think it was wrong to do it.

I was en last Nov. 6, acknowledges that he re titled to the money. What can legislators accept as honoraria? Should they go out for ceived about $800 after taxes that "I State Rep. Thomas Jochum, D-Du- meals with lobbyists? buque, also is on the six-month salary plan. Jochum, chairman of the didn't earn." But Nystrom says he has no inclination to give the money back.

How can lawmakers use contributions? Should they be Senators introduce bill to cap state spending State spending would be subject to a statutory lid under a bill introduced Tuesday by 19 Senate Republicans. The bill, which would take effect in fiscal year 1994, would limit state spending each year to the amount of the preceding year's tax collections plus half the estimated annual increase in tax collections. The bill would require a two-thirds vote of each chamber before the limit could be exceeded. Nystrom resigned from the Senate to become the direc tor of the Iowa Commerce Depart ment. rized investments is ambiguous and confusing," the Public Investments Task Force said in its final report to Gov.

Terry Branstad. The panel submitted legislation that would "provide a clear list of year; or they can get two-thirds of it during the first half of the year and the other one-third during the second half. Some legislators who resign in mid-year arrange in advance to have all of their salary paid in the first six months. "That's the way the game is played," Nystrom said. Some legislators maintain they've already earned their year's pay by July 1 because the actual sessions of the Legislature occur during the first half of the year.

But Nystrom said he was nearly as busy in the months when the Legislature did not meet. "It never ended," he said. "I would say you earned your money all year." Nystrom said life was usually more serene being in Des Moines for legislative sessions than handling meetings and constituent matters at home in Boone. "They can beat on you during the weekend, but they had to drive to Des Moines to do it during the week." Practice Defended Robert Carr, former Democratic state senator from Dubuque, says he sees nothing wrong with the practice of collecting pay for time not spent in the Legislature. Carr resigned his Senate seat on July 1, 1989, six months and one day into the year, after he was appointed Dubuque County treasurer.

He received his- Nystrom said he assumed that when he left the Legislature, his pay would stop. But his first paycheck as head of the Commerce Department included about $800 as his legisla CD tive pay from the date of his resignation to the end of the year. authorized investments to eliminate existing confusion over authorized credit risks." The committee, powerful House Appropriations Committee, has announced he will leave the Legislature to take a position with the Association of Retarded Citizens of Iowa. He said Tuesday he "intends to remain in the Legislature through the end of my term" next January and has no intention of collecting pay from the state for time not worked. But Jochum, who already has begun working part time in his new job with the Association for Retarded Citizens, left the door open for a change of mind.

"I will stay until the end of my term," he said. "That is my intention at this time. I will stay in the Legislature as long as I can." Jochum also said that, although this is the first year he has taken the six-month salary option, he did not do so because of his planned retirement. able to use campaign contributions for a cellular phone or other items to help their campaigns or to do their work as legislators? Should lawmakers' personal actions be part of our code of ethics such as drinking habits, sex habits, gambling habits? "Nobody's going to be able to write anything that a person can live up to. You move along doing what you're doing and all of a sudden you get nailed for something such as gome of the things being charged; against Joe Welsh.

There was no warning that this is not an ethical thing because it's not written or something," she said. Welsh, D-Dubuque, faces an ethics probe for his role with a company that managed now-missing public money, and for his conduct since the investigation began. I never requested it," he said Steven Wymer settles lawsuit. Page 6M Tuesday. "I was pleasantly sur prised to get an extra $800.

They Bill reduces expense pay received by lawmakers State legislators would receive substantially reduced expense payments under a bill introduced Tues- day by Sen. James Kersten, R-Fort Dodge. headed by former just sent it to me and I didn't send it Supreme Court Justice Mark McCor-mick, urged that municipalities limit their investments to safe products back." Early Payment Members of the General Assembly have three options for getting paid. They can get their whole year's salary during the first six months; they can have it spread over the entire such as government securities and high-quality corporate bonds. The investments would be limited to short-term securities, which fluctuate in value less than long-term AHrlitinnallv.

nnnlpd invpstmpnt Under the bill, lawmakers would receive their $50-a-day expense payment for 70 calendar days in odd-numbered years, and 30 days in even-numbered years. Lawmakers now receive the expense payment for 110 days in odd-numbered years and 100 days in even-numbered years. The limits are viewed as a way to limit the duration of annual sessions. Lawmakers generally adjourn their session about the time that their expense payments expire each year. B3? funds would be required to register with the federal Securities and Ex change Commission, which "applies comprehensive regulatory oversight," the report said.

The panel opposed a bill pending in the Iowa Senate that would create a state commission to regulate 20-70 OCC MOST IT ITEMS! i pooled funds. The panel said the SEC ZJZJ LdLd QoBfara can do the job properly. The panel also backed off and decided not to recommend that the state set up its own, voluntary investment fund for municipalities. The panel decided that municipali- ties already can put their money into Rosenberg and Slife to serve on ethics panel A.SS(X:iATKI)l'UKSS Democrat Ralph Rosenberg of Ames and Republican Harry Slife of CENTRAL AIR FURNACE SCRATCH DENT the well-run Iowa Public Agency In- vestment Trust and Iowa Schools i Waterlo have been named to serve Joint Invpstmpnt Trust hirh nrp on Ine naie tunes ummittee dur- managed by a Des Moines invest ing the investigation of complaints involving two committee members. SALE (Central Air sold only with A-Coil) JUST ARRIVED! ment firm.

E2E I in the Legislature INTRODUCED INIHE HOUSE H.F. 2203 Requires hunters to make a Rosenberg and Slife were appointed by Senate Majority Leader Bill Hutchins, D-Audubon. They will take the places of Sen. Jean Lloyd-Jones, D-Iowa City, and Sen. Richard Drake, R-Muscatine, while the committee investigates complaints filed against six senators by Sen.

Joseph Welsh, D-Dubuque. Welsh filed the complaints against Lloyd-Jones, Drake and four other senators after the Ethics Committee resumed its investigation of Welsh's ties to the failed Iowa Trust fund. Lloyd-Jones is chairwoman of the committee. During its investigation of the complaints filed by Welsh, the committee will be headed by Sen. Donald Gettings, D-Ottumwa.

reasonable effort to locate wounded game By Natural Resources Committee. F. 2204 Ends a requirement that the annual report of a county conservation board be filed with the natural resources commission. By Natural Resources Committee. H.F.

2205 Requires installation of landfills. By Energy Committee. H.F. 2206 Requires public employers to establish a payroll deduction for political committees By Labor Committee. F.

2207 Provides that nutrition and hydration are life-sustaining procedures only if provided through tubes. By judiciary Committee. H.F. 2208 Alters the party required to pay SIZE ENERGY RATIO STOCK WAS NOW SAVE 24,000 BTU SEER-8 80634 $611.00 $429.00 A-Coil 80452 183.00 183.00 10nly $794.00 $612.00 $182.00 36,000 BTU SEER-8 81224 $713.00 $521.00 A-Coil 81163 203.00 203.00 10nly $916.00 $724.00 $192.00 36,000 BTU SEER-9 82214 $835.00 $577.00 A-Coil 81163 203.00 203.00 10nly $1,038.00 $780.00 $258.00 36,000 BTU SEER-10 83024 $1,039.00 $638.00 A-Coil 81246 244.00 244.00 2 Only $1,283.00 $882.00 $401.00 48,000 BTU SEER-10 80015 $1,325.00 $832.00 A-Coil 81248 305.00 305.00 lOnly $1,630.00 $1,137.00 $493.00 30,000 BTU SEER-12 80285 $1,325.00 $747.00 A-Coil 81352 274.00 274.00 1 0nly $1,599.00 $1,021.00 $578.00 29,000 BTU SEER-9 81926 $1,039.00 $811.00 $228.00 2 Only Mobile Home Air NATURAL GAS FURNACES NEW NATURAL GAS WATER HEATERS WAS NOW SAVE STOCK SIZE WAS NOW SAVE 10nly 50M 33439 30 Gal. $169.00 $139.00 $30.00 80 Efficiency $720.00 $488.00 $232.00 33449 40 Gal.

$189.00 $159.00 $30.00 19ri-M cc 33459 50 Gal. $229.00 $179.00 $50.00 80 Efficiency $912.00 $615.00 $297.00 32449 40 Gal. $169.00 $139.00 $30.00 2 Only 100M 90 Efficiency $1,313.00 $925.00 $388.00 32459 52 Gal. $189.00 $159.00 $30.00 termination fees under the commercial code. By Maulsby H.F 2209 Requires that farmland tenure studies be conducted by region.

By Bernau. H.F 2210 Reduces from 60 percent to a simple maiority the margin required by bond Issue approval By Dvorsky. H.F. 221 1 Prohibits advertising promoting a product as endorsed by the state. By Maulsby.

2212 Limits the liability of those involved with equine animals. By Ollie. H. F. 221 3 Requires the labor commissioner to charge a $10 fee for inspection of church boilers By Darren Hanson.

H.F. 22 1 4 Equalizes deductibles between self-insured businesses and those with worker compensation policies By GiH. 2215 Exempts vacant livestock facilities from property taxes. By Maulsby. 2216 Sets May 1 as the date for completing negotiations between teachers and schools By Daggett.

H.F 2217 Creates a county conservation department 'n each county. By Roger Hatvorson. 22 1 8 Changes the date on which schools can offer teacher contracts By Daggett. 2219 Limits the hours younger Ahead Tax consideration The Senate Ways and Means Committee today is to consider nearly $50 million in tax and fee increases proposed by Gov. Terry Branstad for this fiscal year and next.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Hutchins said he wanted to get a reading on legislative support for the ideas. Signing students can work By Education. INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE F. 21 17 Reomres development of banking card access to certain state services By Varn. SF 2118 Creates a public transit subsidy program for state workers By Sfymomak.

SF 2119 Regulates use of county general obligation bonds By Kibbie. Peterson and Vande Hoef 2 1 20 Enters Iowa into the Midwestern Higher Education Commission By Education Committee SF 2121 Establishes a bone marrow donor program By Connolly. 2122 Establishes a state budget Smrt for the year begmrwig July 1. 1993 By Funrman and others SF 2123 Lts expense payments to legislators By Kersten. 2124 Increases penalties for certain drug enmes committed on or near schools and parks By Kesten.

2125 Requests a federal wamer to Unit Aid to Fame? with Dependent Children payments By Taylor Iowa Trust Gov. Terry Branstad on Tuesday signed a bill allowing the court-appointed receiver for the failed Iowa Trust to declare bankruptcy. State Insurance Commissioner David Lyons, who was appointed Iowa Trust receiver in December, said he is not sure if he will need the authority in his effort to recoup more than $75 million missing from the fund. By declaring the fund bankrupt, Lyons could seek court orders to return money withdrawn from the fund up to 90 days before the bankruptcy declaration. SCARS 1224 E.

Euclid 263-0437 Hours: 9-8 Sat 9-6 Sun. 12-5 Your money's worth and a whole lot more. Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back Sect, Roebuck and Co. 1991.