Democratic legislative leaders today said 2008 may go down as one of the best sessions on record.

Senate President Jack Kibbie, D-Emmetsburg, served in the 1965 Legislature, which he said made significant strides for the state. He added 2008 will go down as one of the better years in the Iowa Legislature with funding the state's environmental program at $18 million, establishing and continuing funding of the Iowa Power Fund and all the legislation passed for veterans.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, and House Speaker Pat Murphy also touted the sound budgeting practices of Democrats.

• Listen to audio from the Dems' press conference
• Watch video from the press conference

But Senate Majority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City, tabbed the 2008 session with a failing grade today. Wieck told reporters this afternoon he is upset more wasn't done in terms of property tax relief, illegal immigration and establishing higher standards in Iowa's school classrooms.

• Listen to Wieck's press conference

Labels: 2008_session, audio, video

House Minority Leader Christopher Rants said he was "extremely disappointed" that Gov. Chet Culver pushed "the most divisive issue this General Assembly has faced in a long time, and that's the gutting of Iowa's right-to-work law."

He also said the speech sent the message that "tax increases are on the horizon."

Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, said she was interested in Culver's rhetoric on cooperation and bipartisan unity.

"We as Democrats, if anything, do that better than anybody in terms of reaching across the aisle and working in a bipartisan fashion," she said.

She also called the proposed bottle deposit increase "an uphill battle" but "do-able."

Labels: 2008_session, Legislature, video

After Gov. Chet Culver's Condition of the State speech House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said he wants to work with Republicans to find a solution to transportation budget shortfalls.

"Everybody wants to make it out as an election year, but we still have to govern," Murphy said. "We will look at (raising fees on) pick-up trucks and different proposals out there to see what we can do. We will look at what kind of funds we can raise for infrastructure issues."

• Listen to audio of Murphy

Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck, R-Sioux City, addressed Gov. Chet Culver's call for civility.

"We went through the entire session last year to the best of my memory and we were allowed to get one Republican-drafted bill out of the Senate. And I believe we got less than 10 amendments," Wieck said. "If we want to have civility and if we want to have bi-partisan cooperation, we need to listen to each other. Sen. Gronstal is not listening to the Republican voices in the senate unless he wants to raise taxes. And then, he wants us to help him do the heavy lifting. So if we continue to raise taxes on the backs of Iowa's families you will not hear civility from Ron Wieck."

• Listen to audio of Wieck

• Rep. Jodi Tymeson, R-Winterset
• Rep. Mike Reasoner, D-Creston

Labels: 2008_session, audio, Legislature

The 2008 session of the Iowa Legislature is under way and top House Dems addressed members of the media about the issues that could arise in the weeks ahead, shooting down discussion that this would be a "do-nothing" Legislature.

Minority leaders Rep. Christopher Rants and Sen. Ron Wieck also addressed the press. They challenged Dems on taxes and spending.

Click below for more video, plus audio and text from today's session.

• Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal
• Prepared text of Gronstal's remarks
• Senate President Jack Kibbie
• Senate Minority Leader Ron Wieck
• Prepared text of Wieck's remarks
• House Speaker Pat Murphy
• Prepared text of Murphy's remarks
• Video of Murphy honoring state Rep. Ray Zirkelbach, D-Monticello, who had missed the past two legislative sessions while serving in Iraq.
• House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
• Prepared text of McCarthy's remarks
• House Minority Leader Christopher Rants
• Prepared text of Rants' remarks

Labels: 2008_session, audio, Legislature, video