Winners

Democrats (and a handful of Republicans), casinos, non-smokers and health advocacy groups scored a major victory last week when the Iowa House and Senate quickly passed the much-talked-about smoking ban bill that would require restaurants, bars and most other public places to go smoke-free starting July 1. The bill now heads to Gov. Chet Culver who is expected to sign it into law. After weeks of debate about the bill’s infringement on the rights of business owners — namely restaurants and bars — and the unfair competitive advantage given to casinos that are allowed to continue to host customers that smoke, it appeared as though the bill was dead in the water (at least until next year), when it passed both chambers last Tuesday. The House voted 54-45 and the Senate voted 28-22 to protect about 95 percent of Iowa workers from secondhand smoke. A few exemptions including the gambling areas in casinos and areas of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown were allowed. Less consideration, however, was given to business owners and customers.

Des Moines Public Schools secured a victory last week when an Iowa District Court found no violations of state law in regard to the sale of the former Rice School property. The lawsuit, which was filed by Save the Green Inc., alleged the school district disobeyed open records laws in making decisions about the sale of the site. The school board voted Jan. 9, 2007, to sell the 4.4 acres to Rice Development Partners for $650,000. While the school district is claiming victory, the chances that residents, who overwhelmingly opposed the sale, are just going to move on are very slim.

Republican Sen. Brad Zaun wants to make it illegal for stage agencies to use general fund money to run ads about legislative proposals, like those ran by the Department of Public Health recently promoting a smoking ban in restaurants and bars at a cost to the department of $600,000. Republican leaders have asked Zaun to author a bill that is enforceable. Whether or not the bill affects the confirmation of health department Director Thomas Newton, whom Zaun and Republicans have opposed because he authorized the smoking ban ads, remains to be seen.

Losers

It’s an old tactic in politics: create enough smoke and you can fool people into believing there is a fire. Just ask Rep. Leonard Boswell. He’ll tell you it’s a hell of a lot easier than talking about issues (who cares about war anyway?). His latest barb directed at his opponent, former state Rep. Ed Fallon, regards Fallon’s work with I’m for Iowa, the company he helped start. A complaint has been filed with the Federal Election Commission (by a supporter of the Boz) in regards to three campaign e-mails Fallon sent supporters of I’m for Iowa. Boswell’s campaign has called it hypocritical of Fallon to preach the virtues of campaign finance reform and clean elections while using a private company to advance his campaign. What is truly hypocritical is for a guy whose campaign is funded almost entirely by political action committees (most representing corporations and unions) to point the finger at anyone. Any hopes that the issues that affect voters will get attention are slowly slipping away, and the blame rests solely on Boswell’s well-funded shoulders.

While lawmakers toiled into the night on a controversial bill regarding union negotiations, Gov. Chet Culver was soaking up the sun in scenic Sarasota, Fla. But not just any old hotel will do for Iowa’s highest-ranking official. No, Culver enjoyed his vacation in the $1 million penthouse of real estate developer Bill Knapp, who contributed more than $110,000 to Culver’s election campaign in 2006 and has already donated about $25,000 to his re-election campaign. While no one is saying Culver broke the law when he decided where to hold his vacation, many still wonder how ethical it is for the governor to accept a gift of this size from someone who consistently is affected by legislation Culver must sign off on (the governor paid Knapp $1,000, or less than half what a week at a similar rental property would go for). Probably not the governor’s smartest decision, as the appearance of impropriety is sometimes bad enough.

Last week, we talked about Iowa Tax Freedom Day, the first day in the year when Americans don’t have to work to pay for their local, state and federal tax burden. This week, it’s back to working for Uncle Sam, and his war efforts. In a new study released by the National Priorities Project, a non-profit research organization that examines the local impact of federal spending policies, it was revealed that 42 percent of every income tax dollar collected went towards military spending, while anti-poverty programs received 8 percent, education received 4 percent and the environment, energy and science programs received 2 percent. The NPP’s study also forecasts the Bush administration’s proposed federal spending and tax cuts for fiscal year 2009 in which the war in Iraq would receive another $139 billion, bringing the overall cost of the war to $745 billion, while spending on renewable energy and conservation would receive about $1.3 billion. CV

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