Iowa Rail Passenger Plan Deserves Move Forward
The Iowa General Assembly and Speaker Robert Arnould support expanding railroad passenger service. With a potential 300 million revenue gap next year, starting Amtrak with 3.8 million in startup and first-year subsidies for a central route may be tight but desirable, needing Illinois cooperation to link Clinton Cedar Rapids Marshalltown Ames Carroll and Omaha.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
General Assembly
Robert Arnould
D-Davenport
Amtrak
Arnould
Clinton
Cedar Rapids
Marshalltown
Ames
Carroll
Omaha
Illinois
Des Moines Faces Budget Turmoil Over New Tax Ideas
Des Moines politicians wrestle with overspending as Gov Branstad and lawmakers seek savings due to a strained budget. A proposed sales tax on garbage collection could raise about 1.6 million, though Rep David Osterberg argues higher taxes would curb waste. The Senate dismissed the idea.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Des Moines
Terry Branstad
David Osterberg
Mount Vernon
House Committee On Energy and Environment
Open call for more government openness and accountability
A Cedar Rapids reader urges greater transparency in public agencies. The letter highlights Amtrak through Cedar Rapids, county payroll disclosures, city staff pay details, pensions and benefits, and adherence to open meetings laws, calling for stronger oversight as the 1990s continue.
Equity for all in Iowa ERA proposal columns
Attorney argues the proposed Equal Rights Amendment adds language prohibiting gender based discrimination and aims for fairness. He notes current dissolution orders allow support to either gender based on need and equity, and states Iowa law already rejects criminalizing a husband's failure to support. The ERA would ensure equal application of laws to men and women.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
Illinois
Colorado
Texas
Wyoming
Education funding debate in state budget
The writer argues against proportional cuts to education while noting state revenues rose 103 percent since 1980 whereas K-12 budgets grew only 55 percent. Education is a significant budget portion, but the victim, not the culprit, of overall budget struggles.
Interurban Trail letters dispute and local debates
A February letter exchange outlines divided views on the Interurban Trail project in Bertram and surrounding counties. Proponents cite funding and maintenance concerns, while opponents argue costs and legal responsibilities, noting county and state roles and public access to trail data.
Mandatory auto insurance and accountability
A writer argues for mandatory auto insurance in Iowa, sharing a personal experience where uninsured motorist coverage and medical costs totaled over $50,000. They urge proof of insurance for vehicle registration and threaten plate loss if coverage is dropped, insisting irresponsible drivers be kept off the road.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa City
The
University
Mercy Hospital
Iowa
Remember Bataan too and the war’s costs for families
A reader responds to Walt Stromer arguing about Japanese American internment, wartime suffering, and compensation. The letter questions postwar payouts, notes suspicions about a $20 000 payment to Japanese Americans, and asserts Pearl Harbor as the war’s turning point. It emphasizes the death march and military losses from Bataan and urges a public vote on compensation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Walt Stromer
Stromer
Bataan
Not a heroine letter to the editor on teen pregnancy
Harry and Cindy Rupe of Hiawatha protest a Feb 23 article on a teen mom. They argue the piece promotes teen sexuality, wastes tax dollars, and undermines abstinence values while urging the newspaper to stop glorifying teen pregnancy.
Also Mentioned on This Page
LF. Hladky Jr
Joe Hladky III
Ken Slaughter
Dale Larson
Jerry Elsen
Mark Bowden
Osterberg
Senate
U.S
By Tania
Gazette
Linn County
County Board of Supervisors
Robert M.L. Johnson
Marion
the Gazette
ERA
MIR
Carrigina
E Big
Cedar Valley Nature Trail
Bertram
Conservation Board
IDOT
Public Library
Surance
Japan
Pearl Harbor
Harry and
Cindy Rupe
Thiher
Hiawatha
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