Smith: I’ll Support House GOP’s 2009 Plan, Freeze Property Taxes, Preserve Right-to-Work, Create Jobs

 

OSCEOLA – House District 95 candidate Doug Smith said he would support the Republican blueprint for the 2009 legislative session, which includes freezing property taxes, repealing a $50-million tax hike on small businesses and creating jobs built around renewable energy.

 

“It’s important for voters to know what candidates stand for and I want to leave no doubt on my priorities,” Smith said.

 

House GOP Leader Christopher Rants unveiled the plan Monday in Des Moines, saying it provides accountability and financial security for families, businesses, and taxpayers in Iowa.  “Two years ago Iowans gave Democrats the keys to the car and said be careful, behave yourselves and most importantly, don’t wreck the car,” Rants said. “While Iowans were busy working, raising their kids and being involved in their communities, Democrats raised their taxes, increased government spending and attacked our right to work. Democrats wrecked the car.”

 

Among the items Rants said the GOP would approve in the first 30 days of the 2009 legislative session if restored to the majority is a provision to require the state to notify Iowans when it is learned someone else is using their Social Security number and penalize government officials who sell private information for personal gain. Democrats voted down that measure this year. 

 

House Republicans will end Democrat plans to take away the authority of local school boards and officials over taxes, curriculum, getting rid of bad teachers to unelected out of state arbitrators.  They will approve rigorous state content standards by 2014 and set in motion recommendations for rigorous performance standards. Republicans offered this proposal in 2008, but Democrats repealed it.

 

Smith said he supports the House Republicans’ commitment to cancel pork barrel projects approved by the Democrats and use those dollars on flood relief efforts. Those projects include using state tax dollars to fund for two full-time gardeners at Terrace Hill, $120,000 for decorative planters in Des Moines and funding a collective bargaining agreement for health club dues or any other private business dues.

 

Smith also favors the pledge to approve a K-12 allowable growth that does not raise property taxes, repeal the $50-million tax increase on small business and contain state spending which has increased by $928 million or 17 percent under just two years of Democrat control.  He also pledged his support to “end the relentless campaign to repeal Iowa’s Right to Work Law.”

Smith said he was pleased that the GOP caucus has vowed to ensure a business climate that promotes not just new forms of electric energy production, but a transmission system that allows our green power to be sold out of state thereby bringing profit to Iowans and power to America.  He has said during his campaign that he would make it a priority to create more jobs in House District 95 through the alternative energy industry.

 

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