LEGISLATORS' PRIORITY IS EDUCATION TAX CUTS AND ANTI-DRUG MEASURES

Iowa lawmakers will face new dynamics today as the 78th General
Assembly opens with an agenda expected to center on reforming
education, cutting taxes and fighting methamphetamine.

Education will be the hot button of the legislative session.
Republicans, who control the Legislature, and Democrats, who now hold
the governor's seat, agree that legislators will grapple with
education proposals while seeking some tax relief as well.

"Education, by and large, is going to be done in a bipartisan manner,"
said House Majority Leader Brent Siegrist, R-Council Bluffs.

Over the past 16 years, legislators have filled the opening day with
ceremony and procedure as they awaited agenda-setting material from
the Condition of the State speech given by Gov. Terry Branstad.

But Branstad's speech Tuesday morning is expected to be little more
than a fond farewell as he steps aside for Gov.-elect Tom Vilsack, who
will be inaugurated Friday.

Last year's Legislature was disappointing in that the "Year of
Education" turned into an election-year battle that ended with a
Branstad veto of a series of education initiatives that he didn't
think was strong enough.

This year's session isn't expected to have that kind of political
posturing, though the Republican-led Legislature now must work with
Iowa's first Democratic governor since 1968.

Democrats now hold every statewide office except state auditor, while
Republicans hold a 56-44 majority in the Iowa House, and carry a 30-19
advantage in the Senate.

Republicans picked up two House seats from last year, as well as two
in the Senate. A special election on Tuesday in south-central Iowa
will fill the seat vacated by Patty Judge, a Democrat who was sworn in
last week as agriculture secretary.

With a $896 million budget surplus, Republicans want to push a $200
million tax cut. House Speaker Ron Corbett, R-Cedar Rapids, has
proposed cuts in property and inheritance taxes. He also has unveiled
a plan to simplify the tax code.

"We'll have to work with Gov. Vilsack and see if we can get to him
something he can sign," Siegrist said. "You may see more disagreement
on taxes because we want to cut taxes more than he wants it."

Vilsack's campaign centered on a series of education initiatives such
as reducing class sizes, rebuilding school infrastructure and
increasing teacher pay that would offset any tax cut plans. Vilsack
would like to see a more modest proposal for property tax cuts that
would reduce the tax load about $100million.

"I don't think taxes will be the hot button of the past sessions,"
Vilsack spokesman Ron Parker said.

Republicans and Democrats expect to place strong emphasis on the
growing problem of methamphetamine use and production in the state.

Law enforcement officials throughout Iowa have been faced with
methamphetamine labs, and the drug also flows freely on Iowa's
Interstates. Vilsack has proposed life sentences for anyone selling

meth to a minor, and both parties have suggested that more money must
go toward education and treatment programs as well.

With everything on the table, it would seem legislators need to rush
into work to finish by mid-May. Much of this week, however, is
ceremonial, with speeches from Branstad, Chief Justice Arthur
McGiverin's Condition of the Judiciary address and Vilsack's
inauguration.

"There's not a lot of real action that takes place, but it's always
kind of exciting," said Senate Minority Leader Michael Gronstal,
D-Council Bluffs.