By Emily Geiger

Before the waters have even receded, Supreme Iowa Democrat Mike Gronstal is already tipping his hand.

Chet has indicated there will likely be a special session of the legislature to deal with flood-related issues. Gronstal has already said he’s ready for the state to go into debt to pay for flood damages.

While I understand that the flood damages will be enormous, I still think it is premature and irresponsible of Gronstal to be making comments such as this. Why not wait and see exactly how much damage there is? Why not wait and see how many people had flood insurance that will pay for their expenses? Why not wait and see what the federal government will do? Are we assuming that the government will bail out all those who live in a flood plain and didn’t have the foresight to buy their own insurance?

Another great question people are asking is, why not use the money in the “Rainy Day Fund?” After all, isn’t something like flooding exactly what the rainy day fund should be used for… hence the name “Rainy Day Fund?” The problem is that the legislature likes to use the money in such special funds to over spend and pay for other things and make it look like there is no budget shortfall, when there really is.  And actually, there is some money left in the Rainy Day Fund, but apparently Gronstal doesn't want to wait and see if that is enough either.  After all, if the Rainy Day Fund is depleted to help flood victims, how will Gronstal hide his budget shortfalls in the future?

I sincerely hope that Gronstal is not using this tragedy as a means to get rid of the legal blockades that prevent the state from openly going into debt just so that he can have more money to fund his liberal agenda in the future. Unfortunately, it looks like that is precisely his plan.