Last fall, Republicans running for legislative seats deployed TV ads and mailers promising to “fix our schools,” among other such pledges. It seemed there was no issue GOP candidates cared more about than education. So Iowans put them in charge of the Legislature. Now, the 2017 session is over, and our K-12 public schools are...Read More

• Erin Murphy Times Bureau • Apr 7, 2017 Updated Apr 8, 2017 DES MOINES — A mere five years ago Iowa’s state budget had nearly $1 billion to spare and its reserve accounts were flush with another $600 million. And while money coming into the state continues to increase, the state budget has fallen...Read More

Linley Sanders, Associated PressPublished 2:00 p.m. CT April 2, 2017 | Updated 19 hours ago DES MOINES, Ia. — With Republicans in control of state government, Iowa union leaders approached this legislative session with apprehension, but say they never envisioned lawmakers would approve such dramatic changes to laws governing worker rights and pay. GOP legislators,...Read More