Issues

Education:

My education plan focuses on advancing elementary and secondary education standards, enacting a more rigorous curriculum and increasing career development and job training. Our plan would:

- Increase teacher pay to make it competitive with other states.

- Expedite implementation of a plan approved by the Legislature that puts in place tougher standards for students from 2009 to 2011.

- Increase offerings in science, math and reading.

- Allow high school; students to earn college credit during their senior year, and creating job training programs for students not heading to college.

- Limiting the increase in college tuition to no more than the increase in the Higher Education Price Index.

- Repay student loans of those who agree to stay in the state for seven years after graduation. That would apply to those with household incomes less than $51,687 a year and maintain a 3.0 Grade point average.

Discounting Your Income Taxes:

Republicans pushed Senate File 2408, signed into law May 22^nd, giving Iowans 65 and up your first $18,000 for singles, $24,000 for joint filers, TAX-FREE, beginning in 2007. By 2009 you’ll get as much as $30,000 and $40,000, TAX-FREE, respectively.  But we intend to give you an even deeper DISCOUNT that will put more money in your pocket and grow Iowa’s economy at the same time.  If you like the DISCOUNTS at Hy-Vee, Costco & Lowe’s, then you understand that the Republicans’ DISCOUNTS are good for you and Iowa, too.