Political Football

March 20, 2008
House approves controversial union legislation

JASON CLAYWORTH
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

The Iowa House today approved a legislative union-backed proposal that opponents say would siphon power away from local elected officials and raise Iowa taxes.

One of the key issues on House File 2645 is a Democrat-proposed addition to the bill that greatly expands the issues that unions can negotiate. Under the proposal, unions could negotiate such issues as insurance carriers, class sizes and overtime compensation.

Advocates say the proposal would better protect public employees. Opponents said it would strip power away from locally elected officials, placing more decision-making power in the hands of unions.

Lawmakers reported a large number of phone calls and e-mails from government officials throughout the state today opposing the proposal.

Des Moines City Manager Rick Clark, for example, sent a note to some lawmakers estimating that passage of House File 2645 would increase city taxes by 7 percent, or roughly $69 a year for a home assessed at around $150,000.

The proposal passed on a 52 to 47 vote along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed. The vote came this afternoon after a marathon debate that began Wednesday afternoon dragged into the early-morning hours today.

Senate leaders said they expect to debate the proposal later today.

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