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 state’s $6 billion budget and a $600 million tax system overhaul are still in the works, but legislative leaders are holding out hope the session could adjourn as early as Friday.
Also on the legislature’s plate is Gov. Chet Culver’s $750 million bonding plan to pay for flood repairs and work on Iowa’s aging infrastructure. On top of it all, opponents of same-sex marriage have said they will push for legislative action on a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage before the session is over.
Four pieces of legislation backed by labor unions are also still on the table, although their future appears bleak.
The session isn’t officially scheduled to end until May 1, when lawmakers’ daily expense payments run out. But Democrats set a goal of ending the session early in order to save money and help with the state’ budget shortfall.
The first hurdle for Democrats will come Tuesday, when debate is scheduled for their controversial tax reform bill that includes ending federal deductibility. A public hearing on the plan last week became so heated House Speaker Pat Murphy asked state troopers to clear the public from the gallery.
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