Strawn Statement on Federal Deductibility Public Hearing

Republican Party of Iowa

Contact: Jeff Boeyink, 515.864.6800

For immediate release;
March 30, 2009

Statement from RPI Chairman Matt Strawn

This evening, Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn released the following statement following the ordered shutdown of a public hearing of the Iowa House on House File 807

Des Moines, IA – In an unprecedented display of political arrogance, Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy tonight ordered State Troopers to remove hundreds of Iowa citizens from the Iowa House Chamber during a public hearing on proposed legislation to raise income taxes on over 450,000 Iowans.

Matt Strawn, Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, said: “Never have I seen such a gross display of arrogance and disdain for Iowa taxpayers. The Iowa House is supposed to serve as the people’s house, the house where great ideas are debated and discussed. But tonight, House Speaker Murphy made it clear the Iowa House is his house as he sent hundreds of Iowans packing.

“What Speaker Murphy heard tonight was the truth from Iowa taxpayers, and he didn’t like it. Citizens across Iowa are outraged about a state government that wants more and more of their hard-earned money.”

“These Iowans came to the State Capitol to exercise their rights and express their opinions on this ill-conceived, job-killing legislation. Rather than embrace this discussion, Speaker Murphy shut it down and sent the people home.

“Shame on you, Pat Murphy. And shame on majority Democrats for attempting to shove this horrible legislation down our throats. The day you tried to silence Iowans will never be forgotten,” concluded Strawn.

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The Chair Who Dared......To Stand Up To Big Labor

What others are saying...

By Tim Palmer, Hawkeye Review

This morning at 10:00 a.m. in Cedar Rapids, Chairman Matt Strawn continued his state wide tour to highlight good jobs, aptly named the "Job Security for Iowans Tour." Here's an excerpt from Matt's Email report sent across the state recently:
"Statewide media tour will shed light on Democrat’s job-killing labor union agenda and Republican solutions to grow our state and secure good jobs."

Hosted by Jim and Cindy Golding of CNJ Investments, this event was held in a medium sized conference room with tables, plush chairs and the attending media and small business owners. I debated taking a picture of what I'm about to describe to you and then thought better of it, sometimes you don't "kick a bully in the knees."
Assembled along one side of the room was a large entourage of local union leaders, including the head of the local Pipe-fitters union who swarmed in just prior to the beginning of this mornings press conference, outnumbering all others by a 3:1 margin. Create your own mental picture of big men, stoic faces and crossed arms. They looked rather "pissed!"
In the midst of this potentially hostile group, our chair stood strong and articulated the need for pro-job policies, creating opportunities for small business owners here in Iowa with good tax and regulatory policy from Des Moines. Strawn also laments on our states 49th ranking in new business start ups.
Moral of the story today....when big labor turns out in big numbers to attempt intimidation, it tells you the message is landing in all the right places. Republicans and conservatives need to take note of this strong message discipline. Be ready to engage over the next weeks and months to take back the common sense principles that made Iowa a great state to start a business and raise a family.
Chairman Strawn, well done....You are modeling great leadership across the state and re-engaging the base. "Refreshing!"

Release: GOP Chairman Matt Strawn Promotes Job Security in Quad Cities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, March 9, 2009

Republican Party of Iowa
Contact: Sara Craig
515.669.7019

GOP CHAIRMAN MATT STRAWN PROMOTES
JOB SECURITY FOR IOWANS IN QUAD CITIES

Warns pending doctor-shopping bill will devastate area’s small businesses

Davenport, IA – Republican Party of Iowa Chairman, Matt Strawn, joined Quad City homeowners and small business owners to speak out against the job killing measures currently being considered by the Iowa Legislature. The Democrat-controlled Legislature has begun work on a series of bills that not only raise property taxes on all Iowans, but could force many Iowa businesses to shut their doors.

Despite over 80,000 Iowans being out of work, including an additional 105 workers at John Deere in Davenport, legislative Democrats have indicated plans to debate and vote on legislation this week that would gut over 90 years of common-sense workers’ compensation policy in Iowa. The legislation, House File 530, is slated for committee and floor consideration this week and would effectively remove any Iowa employers’ right to choose care for injured employees, paving the way for sky-rocketing insurance costs without any guarantees of quality care and treatment.

“Iowa currently boasts a worker-friendly workers’ comp program that has served our state well for over ninety years. It is inexcusable for legislative Democrats and Governor Culver, in this period of economic crisis, to pile additional costs onto the backs of Iowa’s small businesses,” said Strawn, noting that Iowa already boasts one of the nation’s most worker-friendly programs and pays the highest maximum benefits of any state in the Midwest.

Owner of Davenport based business, Twin State Inc., Hovey Tinsman, joins many other local business owners in opposition to this bill.

“Iowa once had a very business friendly environment,” said Tinsman. “But, if the legislature keeps considering bills that attack Iowa’s businesses, the economic impact on our state will be huge and could drive many small businesses, like my family’s, out of business.”

“Republican leaders understand that Hovey Tinsman, and thousands just like him all across our state, are the ones who create jobs in Iowa. Iowa needs leadership that understands government does not create jobs – risk-taking entrepreneurs and small business owners create jobs and grow our economy,” continued Strawn.

Strawn noted that Iowa Republicans are offering bold solutions at the Capitol to empower Iowans, not government, to secure and create jobs in the Hawkeye State. Strawn specifically referred to GOP proposals providing immediate and substantial job creation tax credits, constitutionally protecting Iowa’s Right-to-Work law, and begin a fundamental debate on Iowa’s hostile tax and regulatory environment.

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