Call to Action
January 23, 2012
One of the Travel Federation of Iowa's top priorities for the past several years has been the enforcement of the state's current school start date law.
Rep. Peter Cownie of West Des Moines has sponsored a bill ( HF 2044) that will eliminate the ability of the Iowa Department of Education to waive
the school start date law. That would mean no school would start earlier than the week of September 1.
Please contact the members of the House Education Committee ASAP and encourage them to support HF 2044. Obviously it is best to have actual
constituents make these contacts, so if you know of anyone in these districts that can make the contact, even better.
Below is a list of House Education Committee members. Those bolded are on the subcommittee, and are the ones that will make the first decision
on whether to run the bill or not. Those with an (*) are or were K-12 teachers, community college professors, or K-12 schooladministrators.
•Rep. Greg Forristall (Macedonia), Chair*
•Rep. Jeremy Taylor (Sioux City), Vice Chair*
•Rep. Sharon Steckman (Mason City), Ranking Mbr*
•Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad (Des Moines)
•Rep. Josh Byrnes (Osage)*
•Rep. Royd Chambers (Sheldon)*
•Rep. Dennis Cohoon (Burlington )*
•Rep. Peter Cownie (Des Moines)
•Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (Mt. Ayr)
•Ruth Ann Gaines (Des Moines)*
•Rep. Curtis Hanson (Fairfield)*
•Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa (Council Bluffs)*
•Rep. Ron Jorgensen (Sioux City)
•Rep. Dan Kelley (Newton)
•Rep. Kevin Koester (Ankeny)*
•Rep. Mark Lofgren (Muscatine)
•Rep. Mary Mascher (Iowa City)*
•Rep. Linda Miller (Bettendorf)
•Rep. Kim Pearson (Altoona) *(home schooler)
•Rep. Renee Schulte (Cedar Rapids)
•Rep. Annette Sweeney (Alden)*
•Rep. Nathan Willems (Lisbon)*
•Rep. Cindy Winckler (Davenport)*
Thanks - and let us know if you get a response! We'll let you know if a subcommittee meeting gets scheduled.
January 17, 2012
Last week, the Governor presented his budget for the upcoming fiscal year (Fiscal Year 2013). There are four recommendations that are cause for
concern:
The Economic Development Authority will receive a single appropriation. The Authority's Director will determine how the money gets spent, and
how much (if any) is spent on tourism marketing.
The proposed infrastructure budget zeros out CAT, Regional Sports Authorities, and Great Places.
Recreational Trail funding is reduced by $500,000.
The Governor retains the current funding cap of $810,306 in dedicated funding for tourism marketing.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS & THE GOVERNOR - and ask for the following:
1.Earmark general fund dollars going to the Iowa Economic Development Authority for tourism marketing. Marketing Iowa's attractions supports
jobs and local businesses, and brings in much-needed revenues to our state.
2.Lift the cap on the dedicated standing appropriation for tourism marketing. A portion of the state's gaming revenues are dedicated to tourism
marketing, but the state has capped that standing appropriation in recent years. Lifting the cap will allow the state to more widely market Iowa's
communities and attractions.
3.Reinstate the appropriation for Iowa's Community Attractions & Tourism (CAT) program. CAT has helped communities become more attractive to
tourists and businesses/people looking for a place to relocate. CAT has funded trails, recreational facilities, and other facilities that add to the
quality of life, all of which help Iowa meet its goal of becoming the "healthiest state." Last year, legislators appropriated $15 million for FY 2013 (but
the Governor is zeroing it out).
4.Continue level funding for other proven tourism programs, including Regional Sports Authorities and recreational trails.
January 23, 2012
One of the Travel Federation of Iowa's top priorities for the past several years has been the enforcement of the state's current school start date law.
Rep. Peter Cownie of West Des Moines has sponsored a bill ( HF 2044) that will eliminate the ability of the Iowa Department of Education to waive
the school start date law. That would mean no school would start earlier than the week of September 1.
Please contact the members of the House Education Committee ASAP and encourage them to support HF 2044. Obviously it is best to have actual
constituents make these contacts, so if you know of anyone in these districts that can make the contact, even better.
Below is a list of House Education Committee members. Those bolded are on the subcommittee, and are the ones that will make the first decision
on whether to run the bill or not. Those with an (*) are or were K-12 teachers, community college professors, or K-12 schooladministrators.
•Rep. Greg Forristall (Macedonia), Chair*
•Rep. Jeremy Taylor (Sioux City), Vice Chair*
•Rep. Sharon Steckman (Mason City), Ranking Mbr*
•Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad (Des Moines)
•Rep. Josh Byrnes (Osage)*
•Rep. Royd Chambers (Sheldon)*
•Rep. Dennis Cohoon (Burlington )*
•Rep. Peter Cownie (Des Moines)
•Rep. Cecil Dolecheck (Mt. Ayr)
•Ruth Ann Gaines (Des Moines)*
•Rep. Curtis Hanson (Fairfield)*
•Rep. Mary Ann Hanusa (Council Bluffs)*
•Rep. Ron Jorgensen (Sioux City)
•Rep. Dan Kelley (Newton)
•Rep. Kevin Koester (Ankeny)*
•Rep. Mark Lofgren (Muscatine)
•Rep. Mary Mascher (Iowa City)*
•Rep. Linda Miller (Bettendorf)
•Rep. Kim Pearson (Altoona) *(home schooler)
•Rep. Renee Schulte (Cedar Rapids)
•Rep. Annette Sweeney (Alden)*
•Rep. Nathan Willems (Lisbon)*
•Rep. Cindy Winckler (Davenport)*
Thanks - and let us know if you get a response! We'll let you know if a subcommittee meeting gets scheduled.
January 17, 2012
Last week, the Governor presented his budget for the upcoming fiscal year (Fiscal Year 2013). There are four recommendations that are cause for
concern:
The Economic Development Authority will receive a single appropriation. The Authority's Director will determine how the money gets spent, and
how much (if any) is spent on tourism marketing.
The proposed infrastructure budget zeros out CAT, Regional Sports Authorities, and Great Places.
Recreational Trail funding is reduced by $500,000.
The Governor retains the current funding cap of $810,306 in dedicated funding for tourism marketing.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS & THE GOVERNOR - and ask for the following:
1.Earmark general fund dollars going to the Iowa Economic Development Authority for tourism marketing. Marketing Iowa's attractions supports
jobs and local businesses, and brings in much-needed revenues to our state.
2.Lift the cap on the dedicated standing appropriation for tourism marketing. A portion of the state's gaming revenues are dedicated to tourism
marketing, but the state has capped that standing appropriation in recent years. Lifting the cap will allow the state to more widely market Iowa's
communities and attractions.
3.Reinstate the appropriation for Iowa's Community Attractions & Tourism (CAT) program. CAT has helped communities become more attractive to
tourists and businesses/people looking for a place to relocate. CAT has funded trails, recreational facilities, and other facilities that add to the
quality of life, all of which help Iowa meet its goal of becoming the "healthiest state." Last year, legislators appropriated $15 million for FY 2013 (but
the Governor is zeroing it out).
4.Continue level funding for other proven tourism programs, including Regional Sports Authorities and recreational trails.
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Travel Federation of Iowa