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Home , Amanda Ragan, Anesa Kajtazovic, Art Staed, Bill Dix, Bill Heckroth, Bob Kressig

2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

A publication of ID Action in partnership with ’s DD Council

ELECTION RESULTS Iowans like balance – at least that is what their votes tell us. Republicans kept control of the Iowa House, and Democrats kept control of the . Both have only a few vote edge, so compromise will be required if anything is to get done. PAGE 3

Iowans Set Records on Election Day The Des Moines Register reported this week that Iowa may have been the only state in the nation to have better voter turnout this year than in 2008 (when President Obama was first elected President). More than 1.5 million Iowans voted on Tuesday, the highest rate of voting in 20 years. The high rate of voter turnout could have something to do with FACT: 72% of those registered to vote in Iowa’s early voting laws. Iowa Iowa voted in Tuesday’s Presidential allows voters to vote early, up to Election. That means seven out of 40 days before the election. every ten registered voters voted. FACT: 82% of Polk County’s registered Not all states have such a long voters voted this year, according to period of early voting. So that Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald. may be why nearly half of those voting this year did so before FACT: Nationally only 57% of those registered voted, according to the Election Day (either by voting in American University’s Center for the person at the county auditor’s Study of the American Electorate. office, at a satellite voting station, or at home with a mail- in ballot).

“Now more than ever the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.” James Garfield, 20th President of the

2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

YOUR VOTE is just the beginning!

It may seem like the campaign season would never end, and your vote was the end of that very long process. While it is certainly the end of all the political commercials, your vote wasn’t the end. It’s really just the beginning. One Iowan put it best in a recent letter to the editor: No matter who is elected, it is our responsibility to make sure our representatives at the local, state, and federal level know what issues or legislation are important to us.

If you do not let your elected officials know what matters to you, how then can they do their job, their job of representing you? So your vote is the beginning.

Your job now is to make sure your elected officials know what issues matter to you, and how proposals they are considering will affect you, your business, your family and your community. If you don’t, then can you really complain about “politics as usual?” Each month we’ll give you a few ideas to get you started.

1 NOVEMBER ADVOCACY IDEA: For this month, introduce yourself to your newly elected officials.

☐ Send your State Senator & State Representative a note, congratulating them on their wins.

☐ In the note, introduce yourself & tell them what issues are important to you.

☐ Tell them how to contact you, ask them to put you on their mail or email lists, and ask them to let you know when they have local legislative forums .

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2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

ELECTION RESULTS FEDERAL RESULTS: Voters Send Four STATE RESULTS: Split Control of Iowa of Iowa’s Five Congressman Back to DC Legislature Continues Iowa’s two US Senators didn’t face the voters this Before the election, Democrats controlled the Iowa year, but all of Iowa’s US Representatives did, and Senate with 26 seats. After the election, Democrats one won’t be returning to Washington DC next control the Iowa Senate with 26 seats. So the Senate year. Iowans voted to re-elect Representatives Democrats will stay the majority party – the party in , , , and Dave control of the Iowa Senate. Loebsack. Representative lost his election. Before the election, Republicans controlled the Iowa House of Representatives with 60 seats. Republicans Because our population didn’t grow fast enough kept control of the Iowa House, but now they have over the last ten years, Iowa lost a congressional only a 53-seat majority. A smaller majority means seat, going from five US Representatives to four. Republicans will probably need to compromise more That forced two of Iowa’s US Representatives to to get things done. face off in this election – Rep. Tom Latham and Rep. Leonard Boswell. Latham beat Boswell with However, that number may change. One Polk 55% of the vote. County race is still too close to call at the time we went to press – Rep. beat Susan You can see who represents you in Congress on the Judkins by 29 votes on Election night. last page of this issue. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Iowans like balance. Just look at who is representing you:

Washington, DC President – Democrat (Obama) Senate – 1 Democrat (Harkin); 1 Republican (Grassley) House – 2 Democrats (Braley, Loebsack); 2 Republicans (Latham, King)

Iowa Capitol Governor – Republican (Branstad) Senate – Democrat (26); Republican (23)* House – Republican (53); Democrat (47)

*One seat will be decided in Dec. 11 special election

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2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Election Results (continued from page 3) SD-23 Sen. SD-24 Sen. Election officials were still counting absentee ballots in SD-25 Sen. this race and there will likely be a recount if the vote SD-26 Sen. Mary Jo Wilhelm remains close. SD-27 Sen. There were a couple other close votes this year (Rep. SD-28 John Wittneben lost by 57 votes and former Rep. John SD-29 Sen. Todd Bowman SD-30 Sen. Jeff Danielson Beard missed becoming a Senator by 37 votes). They SD-31 Sen. Bill Dotzler too may be recounted. SD-32 Sen. Brian Schoenjahn SD-33 Sen. IOWA SENATE. Two State Senators were not re-elected SD-34 Sen. – Sen. (Scott County) and Sen. SD-35 Sen. (Worth County). Sen. Bartz was a member SD-36 Sen. Steve Sodders of the MH/DS Commission. Two State Representatives SD-37 Sen. Bob Dvorsky decided to run for the Iowa Senate (so they gave up SD-38 Sen. Tim Kapucian their House seats) – but only one (Rep. ) SD-39 Sen. was elected. Rep. Nate Willems lost. Former State SD-40 SD-41 Sen. Representative John Beard also ran for Iowa Senate but SD-42 Rich Taylor was defeated. SD-43 Sen. SD-44 Sen. Tom Courtney These are the Senators that will represent you in 2013: SD-45 Sen. SD stands for “Senate District” SD-46 Chris Brase Senators in italic didn’t have to run for re-election this year. SD-47 Sen. SD-48 SD-1 Sen. Dave Johnson SD-49 Rita Hart SD-2 Sen. SD-50 Sen. SD-3 Sen. Bill Anderson SD-4 IOWA HOUSE. Six State Representatives lost their SD-5 Sen. races and won’t be returning to the Capitol this year SD-6 - Rep. John Wittneben (Emmett County), Rep. SD-7 Sen. Jeremy Taylor (Woodbury County), Rep. Bob Hager SD-8 Sen. Mike Gronstal (Allamakee County), Rep. (Scott SD-9 Sen. SD-10 Jake Chapman County), Rep. Nick Wagner (Linn County), and Rep. SD-11 Sen. (Linn County). Rep. Schulte was the SD-12 Sen. primary author and lead sponsor of the Mental SD-13 Sen. Health and Disability Services Redesign, and an SD-14 Assistant Minority Leader. Rep. Wagner was vice- SD-15 Sen. chair of the powerful House Appropriations SD-16 Sen. Dick Dearden Committee last year (the committee that decides SD-17 Sen. how much money will be spent and where it is SD-18 Janet Petersen (currently a Representative) spent) – and many thought he’d chair it in 2013. SD-19 Sen. SD-20 Sen. Former State Representatives Donovan Olson and SD-21 Sen. Matt McCoy Tom Schueller failed to make comebacks this year. SD-22 OPEN (Charles Schneider vs. Desmund Adams) CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 - 4 - 4675

2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Election Results (continued from page 4) Two former Democratic State Senators ran for State Representative this year – one was elected (Frank Wood) and one lost (). Current State Senator Bob Bacon decided to run for State Representative this year, and was elected. Bobby Kaufman will take over the seat his father (Rep. Jeff Kaufman) retired from this year. Two kids of former legislators also ran this year – one won (Dan Lundby, son of former Sen. Mary Lundby) and one lost (Joe Judge, son of former Sen. John Judge and former Lt. Gov. and Sen. Patti Judge).

Two Dubuque County legislators got 100% of the vote (no one voted against them) – Rep. Chuck Isenhart and Nancy Dunkel. And an independent candidate came close to beating Rep. , who won with 47% of the vote. These are the Representatives that will represent you in 2013: HD stands for “House District”

HD-1 Rep. Jeff Smith HD-34 Rep. Bruce Hunter HD-67 Rep. HD-2 Megan Hess HD-35 Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad HD-68 Dan Lundby HD-3 Rep. HD-36 HD-69 Rep. Kirsten Running-Marquardt HD-4 Rep. Dwayne Alons HD-37 HD-70 Rep. HD-5 Rep. Chuck Soderberg HD-38 Rep. HD-71 Rep. Mark Smith HD-6 Rep. HD-39 HD-72 HD-7 Tedd Gassman HD-40 John Forbes HD-73 Bobby Kaufman HD-8 Rep. Henry Rayhons HD-41 Rep. HD-74 Rep. Dave Jacoby HD-9 Rep. HD-42 Rep. HD-75 Rep. HD-10 Rep. Tom Shaw HD-43 Rep. Chris Hagenow HD-76 David Maxwell HD-11 Rep. HD-44 HD-77 Sally Stutsman HD-12 Rep. Dan Muhlbauer HD-45 Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell HD-78 Rep. Jarad Klein HD-13 Rep. HD-46 Rep. HD-79 Rep. HD-14 David Dawson HD-47 Rep. HD-80 Larry Sheets HD-15 Rep. Mark Brandenburg HD-48 Bob Bacon (currently Senator) HD-81 Rep. HD-16 Rep. HD-49 Rep. HD-82 Rep. Curt Hanson HD-17 Rep. HD-50 Rep. HD-83 Rep. HD-18 Rep. HD-51 Rep. HD-84 Rep. HD-19 Rep. HD-52 Rep. HD-85 Rep. HD-20 Rep. HD-53 Rep. Sharon Steckman HD-86 Rep. HD-21 Rep. Jack Drake HD-54 Rep. HD-87 Rep. Dennis Cohoon HD-22 Rep. Greg Forristall HD-55 Rep. Roger Thomas HD-88 Rep. HD-23 Mark Costello HD-56 HD-89 Rep. HD-24 Rep. HD-57 Nancy Dunkel HD-90 Rep. HD-25 Rep. HD-58 Rep. Brian Moore HD-91 Rep. HD-26 Scott Orth HD-59 Rep. HD-92 Frank Wood HD-27 Rep. HD-60 Rep. Walt Rogers HD-93 Rep. HD-28 HD-61 Rep. Anesa Kajtazovic HD-94 Rep. Linda Miller HD-29 Rep. Dan Kelley HD-62 Rep. Deb Berry HD-95 Quentin Stanerson HD-30 Joe Riding HD-63 HD-96 Rep. HD-31 Rep. Rick Olson HD-64 Bruce Bearinger HD-97 Rep. Steve Olson HD-32 Rep. HD-65 Rep. HD-98 Rep. HD-33 Rep. Kevin McCarthy HD-66 HD-99 Rep. Pat Murphy HD-100 Rep. Chuck Isenhart - 5 - 12

2012 Issue #10 NOVEMBER 12, 2012

Now that the election is over, you are probably Congress, along with the White House, set that deadline to resolve starting to hear all sorts of news reports about the long nasty fight over (the budget) back in the summer of 2011. lame ducks, fiscal cliffs and a “grand bargain.” Our political leaders thought it would be a good idea...to create an Normally we steer clear of insider terms, but these incentive for compromise. So they established automatic cuts and are things you really do need to know about, tax (increases) that would take effect on January 1st, 2013, the because you could feel the impact. fiscal cliff. But no compromise has (been reached), so here we are in Lame Duck: An elected official who is still in November headed toward that fiscal cliff. If Congress does not act office after his/her successor has before the end of the year there will be across the board cuts in been elected. spending to everything but entitlements. That means education, The terms of our elected officials end when the defense, food stamps, national parks, you name it. And there's the new elected officials terms begin, usually other side of the package, the Bush era tax cuts expire, so taxes sometime in January. That leaves a period of time will go up. between the November election and when the And the cliff gets even higher when you add in the fact that some new person takes office in January. During this stimulus measures are expiring January 1st, including the payroll time, an elected official is called a “Lame Duck.” tax holiday and extended unemployment benefits. So both Lame Ducks are free agents, making decisions consumers and the government are going to have a lot less to without worrying about party politics, threats spend if we go over that cliff and that could push the economy from their leaders, or voters. back into recession. Congress has some work to do before the end of You see, Congress has been spending more money than it takes in, the year (which you’ll read about next), so it will borrowing money to make up the difference. That is our federal come back in a “lame duck session.” That is deficit – the difference between the money we have, and the money simply a session held between Election Day and we spend. We now owe over $1 trillion dollars, and we keep when the new Congress takes office. Those not spending. So Congress set this deadline, the fiscal cliff, and if we re-elected don’t feel the pressure of voters and don’t find a way to cut spending or bring in more money, we’ll go special interest groups, so they can be over the cliff. Then everyone will feel the cuts, which the unpredictable. Congressional Budget Office reports would send the economy back into recession and increase unemployment to over 9%. Fiscal Cliff: A deadline Congress set for itself to find a compromise on Grand Bargain: An agreement President Obama and Speaker of the government spending. House are working on to keep the country from falling off the fiscal cliff. One of the best explanations of the "fiscal cliff" comes from National Public Radio (11/8/2011 Most believe that the agreement will have to include some tax Morning Edition). Here is an excerpt from that increases and lots of cuts to mandatory programs (including things broadcast: like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security) in order to cut the deficit Speaking of the fiscal cliff, let's take a minute to significantly over the next ten years. review what it is and how it all began. Imagine Federal spending affects us all, through roads being fixed to school yourself standing on top of a cliff and it’s lunches being available to our social security checks and tax returns December 31st, New Year's Eve and you're coming on time. You can, and SHOULD, tell your federal looking down, way down, toward New Year's representatives what you want them to consider when balancing Day. That's the deadline, the day a lot of fiscal the federal budget. policy will change and nearly all of us will feel it You can find contact information for Iowa’s congressional delegation unless Congress acts. at www.infonetiowa.org. - 6 - infoN E T PRSRT STD A publication of ID Action & Iowa DD Council U.S. POSTAGE PAID PO Box 71369 DES MOINES, IA Des Moines, Iowa 50325 PERMIT NO. 5746

Representing you in Congress: Sen. Charles Grassley [First Name] [Last Name] OR CURRENT RESIDENT Sen. [Address 1] [US Representative] [Address 2] [City], [State/Province] [ZIP/Postal Code]-[ZIP+4] Representing you @ State Capitol:

[Representative] [Senator]

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2012 Issue #10 November 12, 2012

MH/DS TRANSITION COMMITTEE NEWS The Mental Health and Disability Services (MH/DS) PROGRESS REPORT: Regions Redesign Transition Committee will meet for a final time on Tuesday, November 20 to finalize its report ý 31 counties have applied for transition funds to help get to the Iowa Legislature. The report may include a them through this fiscal year without cutting back on recommendation that the work group continue to services or starting (or growing) waiting lists. meet to discuss issues related to the transition from the old county-based system to a new regional ý As of October 30, 95 counties plan to form 15 regions (2 system. This meeting is open to the public but will counties plan to apply for a waiver from regionalization – be done by conference call (call-in information will Jefferson and Carroll Counties; 2 counties have not yet be available at http://bit.ly/ZiedIc). announced their plans). The regions range in population size from 36,000 to 522,000. The Transition Committee met in October, and was • 1 region is made of 3 counties supposed to start to develop their list of legislative • 2 regions are made of 4 counties recommendations. However, the discussion • 6 regions are made of 5 counties became more of a brainstorming session rather • 1 region includes 6 counties than a decision-making session. Committee • 3 regions have 7 counties members hope to vote on recommendations next 1 region will include 9 counties week in their meeting, and will allow a minority • opinion to be expressed in the final report if the • 1 region will now have 18 counties votes are not unanimous. Keep an eye on our ý Facebook and www.infonetiowa.com to find out These regions are not set in stone yet – counties can what happens. change their mind about these partnerships up until April 2013, when they must declare a region.