By Emily Geiger

It turns out that, not only did Archie and Ramona spend some time on the clock in between the sheets, they also frequented (and I do mean frequented) casinos on company, well, actually, taxpayer time as well.

Seems that Archie, Ramona, and Archie’s big brother, Charlie, went to area casinos about 125 times in a three year period… in the middle of the day… during work hours. That’s an average of more than once a week. And they also brought along another friend and CIETC employee by the name of Vic Scaglione. Yes, that is a real name, not something someone made up for Hollywood purposes. I didn’t know anyone in Iowa had a name like that, but ya learn something new everyday.

So now we know why Ramona doesn’t have any money to pay back to the state and federal government… she gambled it all away. But you know, gambling is great for the state of Iowa. It brings so many jobs and such prosperity (oh, and don’t forget bankruptcies, addictions, and broken homes). Thank God the people of Jasper County figured out how good gambling would be for them before it was too late.

By Emily Geiger

First, it was Dem. State Rep. Rick Olson doing Leonard Boswell’s bidding by saying he was going to propose an “Ed Fallon law,” prohibiting candidates from making payments to themselves from their campaign funds.

Now, Dem. State Sen. Dick Dearden says he’s going to file an FEC complaint against Fallon for Fallon’s alleged misuse of his advocacy group to promote his candidacy for Congress.

Ok, Ok, we get it… Boswell wants us all to think that Fallon is an unethical hypocrite. But what I find pathetic is that Boswell won’t do his own dirty work, and he doesn’t even do a very good job of hiding the fact that he’s behind all this.

Come on, Boz, be a man. Take some credit for all the juicy tidbits you’ve dug up against Fallon. Hiding behind others to accomplish your political goals, fulfill your political aspirations, and do your political dirty work sounds suspiciously similar to the conduct of which you accuse Fallon.

So, who’s the hypocrite now?

by Emily Geiger

So, we all suspected it, but it was confirmed today in sworn testimony from former Des Moines City Councilman and CIETC board chairman Archie Brooks: he and Ramona Cunningham had “sexual contact” on at least four occasions.

                                                                       Bringing Sexy Back?

But of course, that had nothing to do with the bonuses he signed off on, or so he says.

And now he’s claiming he only signed for one bonus, and the rest were forged with his name. Of course, that’s not what he told WHO’s Dave Price way back when this whole mess was coming to light.

So if Ramona was willing to do God-knows-what with Archie Brooks, when are people going to really start digging into her relationship with our beloved U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin? Here’s what Harkin said about Cunningham when the scandal broke:

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said Ramona Cunningham, CIETC's top official, "pleaded with me" for more federal money for the agency, even as she was receiving a higher salary than almost everyone in state government.

Hmm…makes you wonder about the manner of her “pleading.”

Another day, another tax increase for Iowa taxpayers. Yesterday, the Iowa House passed the Statewide School Tax, which means residents and businesses would pay an estimated $32 million more a year in taxes.  This replaces and makes permanent the current local option sales tax plans that most counties have passed, but which generally expire after a certain period of time.

Once again, Iowa Democrats are taking away the voice of local taxpayers and residents when it comes to the school districts' needs. If a district needs taxpayer funds to improve its buildings, I think it is only appropriate that it go to the voters with a proposal and make its case. That’s what they did 10 years ago in Davenport, and a month or so ago the voters extended the local option sales tax for another 10 years.

The real reason for the statewide tax is two-fold. First, these tax proponents obviously wanted to get their hands on $32 million more of our tax dollars. Secondly, they need this funding stream to be stable and predictable so that in a year from now, they can amend the bill to allow the money to help pay teachers salaries just like Governor Culver mentioned this spring when he spoke to the ISEA.

We already see how hard it is to be against a school infrastructure tax, so how could somebody vote against that little old kindergarten teacher who pulls your kids' teeth. Wait, I bet they don’t allow that anymore…

Anyway, it’s just another day and another tax increase and favor to a big union.

Iowa Smoking Ban Sent to Governors Desk

Yesterday the Iowa House and Senate passed the smoking ban. The bill will go into effect on July 1^st. People in Iowa will still be able to smoke in the gambling areas of casinos, outdoor areas of bars, the outdoors areas of county fairs and the State Fair except the grandstands, in limousines, in designated areas of correctional facilities, the state Veterans home, Iowa National Guard facilities, and in retail tobacco stores.

As I’ve said before I’m not a fan of smoking, but I really think that the business owners of this state got the short end on this one. On one hand legislators tell us we need a ban because of second hand smoke, but on the other they make a bunch of exemptions. The most notable exemptions are the outdoor spaces at a bar and gaming floors at casinos. If smoking and second-hand smoke is such a threat and infringement on other people why is it ok to smoke in parts of a casino or in an outdoor patio at a bar?

If you are going to ban smoking in Iowa businesses, we should treat all businesses equally. I guess it’s unrealistic to think the Democrats would do something like that.

Gronstal-ing

The hullabaloo over the Democrats rush job of the collective bargaining expansion bill has died down. Why is that the case? Because people these days have the attention span of a chicken. This plays right into Gronstal’s hands. He holds the bill captive while the public outrage dies down, and when the time is right sends it to Culver for his signature.

It’s nice that the Iowa Future Fund wanted people to call legislators and urge Culver to veto the bill, but I actually think we would have been better off if they would have called for a public hearing. This would have allowed local school boards, county supervisors, and city administrators the opportunity to speak out against the bill. It will be difficult to generate the same passion when Gronstal actually sends the bill to Culver. Mark my words Culver will sign this because his political future depends on it.

Gronstal is just sitting back laughing at Culver and the Republican opposition.

Feeling the cash crunch when you fill up? Don’t worry Chet Culver wants to raise the state taxes on gas…

This week Governor Culver said he was open to an increase in the Gas Tax. Culver said that he just wants to make sure motorist “are on the idea that it's needed to pay for road construction projects.”

What a classic out-of-touch comment from an elected official. I know one thing that motorist are not sold on, paying more for gas! As the economy does a nose dive and gas is rumored to be heading to $4.00 a gallon this summer one would think the last thing state government would do is increase the tax on gasoline.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big believer in infrastructure and roads, but if the money is truly needed then state government should find it some place besides the taxpayer’s wallet.

So while Gronstal is forcing Governor Culver to sign the collective bargaining expansion bill, Chet is going to force Gronstal and other legislative leaders to pass an increase in the Gas Tax because Culver’s position is backed by the Iowa Farm Bureau and the construction industry.

All this adds up to bad news for the Iowa taxpayer. And let’s not forget that there is a bill in the legislature that raises fees on every thing under the sun that have wheels on it in Iowa. What a disaster.