Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
The Iowa House is expected to debate a constitutional amendment that would earmark a portion of state sales taxes specifically for natural resources funding Tuesday.
Senate Joint Resolution 1 would reserve 3/8 of a cent of the next sales tax increase for natural resources funding. Estimates place the revenue from such a tax increase at $150 million per year.
The proposed constitutional amendment was approved by the Legislature last year, so approval this year by the full House and Senate would put the issue before Iowa voters in November 2010. If voters approve, lawmakers then would consider a sales tax increase that would provide $150 million a year for things like helping farmers control soil erosion, creating and maintaining wildlife habitats and maintaining recreation trails and state parks.
The bill is expected to pass with broad support.
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