Uncertain Fate
It has been nearly 30 days since the Iowa State House and Senate passed a sweeping union power grab of the state’s school boards. Despite initial indications that Democrat Gov. Chet Culver was not inclined to support the legislation, it now appears that an insider lobbying campaign by the state’s union bosses has prevailed. The Des Moines Register reports that union officials believe Culver will now sign the bill.
“The governor has two options: to stand with Iowans and veto or to side with big union bosses and sign the bill,” said House Republican Leader Christopher Rants, from Sioux City. “I’m hopeful he will listen to the outcry of Iowans.”
The bill tilts the playing field in favor of Big Labor and ends provisions that provide a balance between management and labor, Rants said.
“It’s a bad bill that will eventually raise Iowans’ property taxes and make it extremely hard to get rid of bad teachers,” said Senate Republican Leader Ron Wieck of Sioux City. “What should truly concern Iowans is that this bill is so bad that the Democrat governor is contemplating a veto.”
Groups such as the [Iowans for Right to Work, Iowa Professional Educators,] Iowa League of Cities and the Iowa State Association of Counties registered in opposition to House File 2645. . . .