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| Senators Discuss the Balance of Power in the Iowa Senate IOWA PRESS #3210>> Borg: A BALANCE OF POWER: 25 DEMOCRATS, 25 REPUBLICANS SHARE CONTROL OF THE IOWA SENATE. WE'LL DISCUSS THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS WITH ANKENY REPUBLICAN JEFF LAMBERTI AND COUNCIL BLUFFS DEMOCRAT MIKE GRONSTAL ON THIS EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS," THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION; BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS; AND BY CAPITOL RESOURCES, INC., LOCATED IN BROOKLYN, IOWA; AND NICOLE SCHLINGER AND ERIC LANGE INDIVIDUALLY, FUND-RAISING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR MAJOR CAMPAIGNS SINCE 1996. ON STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS THE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." HERE IS DEAN BORG. Borg: THE MARGINS OF POWER HAVE VARIED, BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE HELD MAJORITY STATUS IN BOTH THE IOWA SENATE AND THE IOWA HOUSE FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. BUT ON JANUARY 10, WHEN THE GAVELS FALL TO CONVENE THE NEW 81ST IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THERE WILL BE MORE THAN USUAL GETTING USED TO, ESPECIALLY PERHAPS FOR REPUBLICANS. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TUESDAY'S ELECTION PRUNED THE REPUBLICANS' EIGHT-VOTE MARGIN OF POWER TO A SLIM TWO-VOTE EDGE. BUT IT'S IN THE IOWA SENATE WHERE THE NUMBER SHIFT IS PERHAPS MOST DRAMATIC. DURING THE PAST SESSION, SENATE REPUBLICANS HELD A COMFORTABLE EIGHT-SEAT MARGIN. BUT FOR THE SESSION CONVENING IN JANUARY, THERE'S NO MAJORITY OR MINORITY LEADER; EACH PARTY HAS 25 SENATORS. SO COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION ARE WORDS THAT MAY BE IN THE PRAYER INVOCATIONS THAT OPEN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION. FOR INSIGHT, WE'VE INVITED TWO SENATORS WHO WERE IN POWER POSITIONS FOR THEIR PARTIES DURING THE LAST SESSION. ANKENY REPUBLICAN JEFF LAMBERTI WAS SENATE PRESIDENT, AND COUNCIL BLUFFS DEMOCRAT MIKE GRONSTAL LED THE DEMOCRATS WHO WERE IN THE MINORITY IN THAT SESSION. GENTLEMEN, I GUESS THAT'S THE LAST TIME WE USE MAJORITY AND MINORITY IN THIS DISCUSSION. Gronstal: IT SEEMS THE VOTERS HAVE ERASED THOSE TITLES. Borg: WELCOME BACK TO "IOWA PRESS." THANK YOU. Borg: ALSO WITH US HERE AT THE "IOWA PRESS" TABLE: "DES MOINES REGISTER" POLITICAL COLUMNIST DAVID YEPSEN AND "ASSOCIATED PRESS" SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER MIKE GLOVER. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI, LET'S START WITH YOU. THERE HAS BEEN SOME BRAVE TALK COMING FROM REPUBLICANS SINCE TUESDAY'S ELECTION ABOUT A RECOUNT ALTERING THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE SENATE. ARE YOU NOW ACCEPTING THAT WHILE THE RECOUNT PROCESS WILL GO FORWARD THAT THE LIKELIHOOD IS HIGH YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A 25-25 SENATE AT THE END OF THE DAY? Lamberti: WELL, I THINK THE LIKELIHOOD IS HIGH THAT WE WILL HAVE A 25-25 SENATE. HOWEVER, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD ONE RACE WHERE THERE WAS 81 VOTES SEPARATING THE TWO. THAT ALMOST REQUIRES A RECOUNT TO GO FORWARD. SO WE'VE ASKED FOR THAT IN THAT PARTICULAR RACE, AND WE HOPE WE'LL KNOW THE RESULTS SOON. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE NEED TO START PLANNING AND MOVING FORWARD AS IF WE ARE AT 25-25. Glover: AND, MR. GRONSTAL, SAME QUESTION TO YOU. ARE YOU ACCEPTING THE REALITY THAT THIS IS THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO SHAPE OUT, IT'S GOING TO BE A 25-25 SENATE AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE? Gronstal: ABSOLUTELY. I THINK THAT'S ENTIRELY LIKELY. I'VE BEEN THROUGH A DOZEN RECOUNTS OVER THE LAST TWENTY YEARS. THE ONLY THING THAT CHANGES USUALLY IS A FEW ABSENTEE BALLOTS THAT WERE PROPERLY POSTMARKED BUT NOT RECEIVED, AND THE RESULTS OF THOSE, FRANKLY, WILL PROBABLY ADD TO OUR MARGINS IN THOSE DISTRICTS. Glover: SO WE'RE TALKING 20-VOTE ELECTIONS CAN SWING, 80-VOTE ELECTIONS CAN'T SWING. Gronstal: YEP. Yepsen: SENATOR GRONSTAL, JUST A TRIVIA QUESTION. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IN IOWA HISTORY THAT WE'VE HAD AN EVENLY DIVIDED CHAMBER IN THE LEGISLATURE? Gronstal: I BELIEVE IT WAS 1934 OR '35. IT WAS IN THE '30S. AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD A LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR THAT BROKE THE TIE. AS YOU KNOW, WE CHANGED OUR CONSTITUTION AND THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DOES NOT PRESIDE OVER THE SENATE. Yepsen: SO WE REALLY ARE IN UNCHARTED WATERS. Gronstal: IT'S UNCHARTED TERRITORY. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, HOW DO YOU RESOLVE THIS? LAST WEEK THE REPUBLICANS -- YOU REPUBLICANS PUT ON THE TABLE A PROPOSAL, A POWER SHARING AGREEMENT. JUST GIVE US THE HIGH POINTS OF THAT AND HOW YOU THINK THIS OUGHT TO BE RESOLVED. Lamberti: WELL, THE FIRST THING IS ANY POWER SHARING ARRANGEMENT IS GOING TO BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS. AND I THINK WE OFFERED SOME IDEAS. BUT MUCH LIKE MIKE, WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO THE RESEARCH. WE HAVE SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE THINK COMMITTEES OUGHT TO BE STRUCTURED, AND BASICALLY IT'S AN EQUAL SHARING ARRANGEMENT: THAT YOU WOULD HAVE COCHAIRS OF COMMITTEES; THAT YOU WOULD HAVE EQUAL MEMBERS -- REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS -- ON THOSE COMMITTEES; THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SOME NEGOTIATION BETWEEN LEADERS ABOUT WHAT BILLS CAME UP FOR DEBATE. BUT WE'RE REALLY APPROACHING THIS IN THE MANNER THAT WE NEED TO BE FAIR. AND WE ARE 25-25 SO IT NEEDS TO BE SHARED. Yepsen: SENATOR GRONSTAL, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE IDEAS THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE PUT ON THE TABLE HERE? Gronstal: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE IT AS A PROPOSAL. SENATOR IVERSON SHARED WITH PEOPLE SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS AND WE'RE -- AND HE SAID TO ME THIS IS NOT A PROPOSAL, WE'RE NOT FINISHED DOING RESEARCH. BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE FAIRLY OBVIOUS. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP PROBABLY HAS TO BE EQUAL. YOU COULD COME UP WITH A SCENARIO WHERE YOU DO DIFFERENT COMMITTEES DIFFERENTLY, BUT THAT PROBABLY ISN'T THE BEST. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME PIECES OF THIS THAT ARE FAIRLY OBVIOUS. THE VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN VERY CLEARLY, WHETHER IT WAS THEIR INTENT OR NOT. WE HAVE -- WE CAN'T PASS A BILL WITHOUT THE REPUBLICANS. THE REPUBLICANS CAN'T PASS A BILL WITHOUT US. AND SO THE VOTERS HAVE BY DEFINITION SAID YOU GUYS MUST WORK TOGETHER. I THINK -- I THINK THE TWO TOP LEADERS NEED TO, BY EXAMPLE, SAY WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER ON THIS STUFF, OUR COMMITTEE CHAIRS ARE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER, SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE COCHAIRS OF COMMITTEES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND THEY'RE GOING TO DECIDE THE AGENDA TOGETHER. Glover: BUT DETAILS ASIDE, WHETHER YOU ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, WON'T IT HAVE TO BE SOME KIND OF SYSTEM LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU HAVE EQUAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP, COCHAIRS, CO-FLOOR LEADERS? Gronstal: YES, YES. AND LIKE I SAID, THOSE ARE RELATIVELY EASY. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TALK WITH WHAT'S HAPPENED -- TALK WITH OTHER STATES ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THEIR STATES AND LOOK AT THE PITFALLS. I MEAN JUST ONE EXAMPLE, WE CAN HAVE CO-FLOOR LEADERS. WE CAN HAVE CO-COMMITTEE CHAIRS. WE CAN'T REALLY HAVE CO-PRESIDENTS BECAUSE IF, GOD FORBID, THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DIE, WE CAN'T HAVE CO-GOVERNORS. SO THERE'S A LINE OF SUCCESSION THERE, AND WE HAVE TO BE INCREDIBLY SPECIFIC ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO SAY THIS PERSON SERVES DURING THIS TIME AND TIME CERTAIN SO THAT AT, YOU KNOW, 12:00 MIDNIGHT IT SHIFTS. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT THE MAVERICKS IN YOUR PARTY? IT STRIKES ME THAT BOTH -- THAT IN THE IOWA SENATE THERE ARE SOME PRETTY STRONG-WILLED INDIVIDUALS WHO OFTENTIMES HAVE THEIR OWN IDEAS. HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT A REPUBLICAN DEFECTION? HOW WORRIED ARE YOU ABOUT A REPUBLICAN JUST STAYING REPUBLICAN BUT SIDING WITH SENATOR GRONSTAL ON A KEY VOTE HERE? AND THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU, SENATOR GRONSTAL. ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE MAVERICKS IN YOUR PARTY HOLDING YOU UP AND CUTTING SIDE DEALS? Lamberti: WELL, I THINK THAT IS A CONCERN WHEN YOU START AT 25-25. BUT I THINK IN THE LONG RUN THAT'S NOT TO THEIR ADVANTAGE AS WELL. I MEAN THERE'S -- THAT CAN PLAY BOTH WAYS IN TERMS OF IF YOU'RE BREAKING RANKS ON CERTAIN THINGS, THEN YOUR POSITIVE AGENDA THAT YOU WANT TO SEE ACCOMPLISHED IS GOING TO BE HARDER TO DO. AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT CONSENSUS IS THE MODEL WE'RE GOING TO USE. Yepsen: SENATOR GRONSTAL, ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT THE MAVERICKS? Gronstal: NO, I'M NOT PARTICULARLY WORRIED ABOUT THE MAVERICKS. I THINK -- I THINK WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THEM IN THE SENATE. WE'VE ALWAYS HAD THEM ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE -- THIS IS GOING TO BE A LEGISLATURE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE TO STEER A CAREFUL COURSE. HERE'S WHAT'S CHANGED. WE USED TO BE WHAT IN ENGLAND THEY ALWAYS REFER TO AS THE LOYAL OPPOSITION. WE USED TO BE THE MINORITY PARTY, AND OUR JOB WAS TO IDENTIFY THE WEAKNESSES OF THE MAJORITY PARTY AND EXPLAIN THAT TO THE PEOPLE OF IOWA AND MAKE THE CASE TO ELECT US. BUT NOW WE'RE NOT THE MAJORITY PARTY, BUT WE'RE ALSO NO LONGER THE MINORITY. SO WE NOW HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN THAT IS GREATER THAN WE HAD AS THE MINORITY. Borg: MR. LAMBERTI, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE PROS AND CONS? YOU'RE REALLY TRULY IN UNCHARTERED WATERS HERE. IT HASN'T HAPPENED BEFORE IN IOWA HISTORY, I DON'T BELIEVE. YES, THERE'S BEEN AN EVEN BUT THE CONSTITUTION HAS CHANGED SINCE THAT TIME. SO WHAT -- AS YOU ANALYZE THIS, WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF SHARED POWER? Lamberti: WELL, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY HERE TO REACH CONSENSUS AND MOVE THE STATE FORWARD. WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE PITFALL IS THAT WE COULD FALL INTO, YOU KNOW, GRIDLOCK AND GET NOTHING ACCOMPLISHED. BUT I'M NOT LOOKING AT THIS AS AN ABSENCE OF OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THE STATE FORWARD. AND I THINK MIKE POINTS OUT, NEITHER PARTY HAS THE BENEFIT OF BEING IN THE MINORITY. WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MINORITY, YOU REALLY AREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING. YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR A BALANCED BUDGET AND YOU CAN, AS MIKE SAID, YOU KNOW, MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT FOR THE PARTY IN THE MAJORITY. WE NOW HAVE A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY TO GOVERN THE STATE. AND SO IF WE FALL INTO GRIDLOCK, THAT'S BAD FOR BOTH PARTIES. IT'S BAD FOR THE STATE OF IOWA. I'M FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PITFALLS THAT OTHER STATES, YOU KNOW, WHERE THEY SETTLE IT BY FLIPPING A COIN. WELL, THAT'S NOT A WAY TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES. THAT'S NOT A WAY TO REACH CONSENSUS. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GOVERN WITH CONSENSUS. Borg: MR. GRONSTAL? Gronstal: WELL, I THINK IT'S -- I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT THE VOTERS WANT US TO WORK TOGETHER, AND THOSE THAT PURSUE A PARTISAN COURSE DO SO AT THEIR OWN PERIL AT THIS POINT IN TIME. I THINK WE CAN ACTUALLY WORK TOGETHER, AND I THINK WE KIND OF HAVE A MODEL FOR IT. FROM '92 THROUGH '96, REPUBLICANS CONTROLLED THE IOWA HOUSE, DEMOCRATS CONTROLLED THE IOWA SENATE, AND WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS DONE IN THIS STATE. WE WORKED ON A LOT OF LEGISLATION, A LOT OF MEDDLESOME ISSUES. AND WE WERE ABLE, SINCE ONE CHAMBER WAS REPUBLICAN AND ONE DEMOCRAT, WE WERE ABLE TO SET ASIDE THE MORE CONTENTIOUS PIECES OF BOTH OF OUR PARTIES' AGENDAS. WE WERE ABLE TO SET THOSE ASIDE AND STEER A COURSE THAT I THINK SERVED THE STATE FAIRLY WELL. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI, LET'S GO TO THOSE ISSUE THAT GET SET ASIDE. SINCE YOU HAVE AN EVENLY DIVIDED SENATE, TELL ME WHAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE ANYMORE. WHAT'S OFF THE TABLE? Lamberti: WELL, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION SITTING HERE TODAY AS TO WHAT'S OFF THE TABLE. YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT HAVE A LOT MORE PARTISAN TONE TO THEM ARE UNLIKELY TO COME UP, BUT I'M NOT SURE I CAN SIT HERE AND GIVE YOU A LIST OF THINGS THAT WON'T COME UP. I HAVE A SENSE THAT IF IT'S COMING FROM THE PARTISAN -- THE MOST PARTISAN POINTS OF VIEW OF EITHER PARTY, IT'S UNLIKELY TO BE DEBATED. Glover: PICK A COUPLE EXAMPLES. Lamberti: CLEARLY I THINK SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT SOME OF MY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE ARE GOING TO BE HARDER. I WOULD SAY SOME OF THE FAR-LEFT AGENDA OF SOME OF MIKE'S MEMBERS ARE UNLIKELY TO COME UP. Glover: LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE, MR. GRONSTAL. WHAT ISSUES FROM THE LEFT WING OF YOUR PARTY ARE OFFER THE TABLE NOW? Gronstal: I WOULD SAY OUR AGENDA IS THE CAMPAIGN WE RAN ON. AND IF YOU LOOK OUT ACROSS IOWA, LOOK AT THE CAMPAIGN MATERIAL THAT OUR PEOPLE PUT OUT, WE TALKED ABOUT JOBS, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH CARE. AND THAT MESSAGE WAS LARGELY A WINNING MESSAGE FOR DEMOCRATS. WE HAVE FIVE NEW SENATORS. THEY'LL COME IN. WE'LL PUT TOGETHER AN AGENDA FOR THE NEXT SESSION, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO -- BECAUSE WE ARE EQUAL IN STRENGTH, WE ARE NOT GOING TO BACK AWAY FROM THOSE ISSUES THAT THE VOTERS ELECTED OUR MEMBERS ON, AND IT WAS JOBS, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH CARE. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THOSE ISSUES, AND WE WILL WORK WITH REPUBLICANS AND TRY AND FIND COMMON GROUND ON THOSE ISSUES. AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT. LIKE I SAID, I THINK WE'VE GOT A GOOD MODEL FROM THE MID '90S WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER. AND FRANKLY, IN A LOT OF WAYS, WE GOT SOME PRETTY GOOD -- AT THE END OF THAT TIME PERIOD, THE STATE WAS SITTING ON $900 MILLION IN THE BANK, HAD JUST CREATED AN INFRASTRUCTURE FUND, HELPED REBUILD CRUMBLING BUILDINGS IN THE STATE. SO WE HAD DONE A NUMBER OF GOOD THINGS BACK THEN, AND I THINK WE CAN DO IT AGAIN. Yepsen: SENATOR, PICK UP ON HIS -- ON SENATOR GRONSTAL'S THEME THERE. COULD THIS ACTUALLY BE A HEALTHY THING FOR IOWA TO SET ASIDE SOME OF THE MORE PARTISAN CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN OUR STATE TO FOCUS ON THE NARROW ISSUES OF AGREEMENT? COULD IT BE A HEALTHY THING? Lamberti: I THINK IT COULD. THAT'S WHY I SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY, NOT AS WE'RE FACING GRIDLOCK AND IT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT. WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES. BUT IT'S INTERESTING, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT MIKE'S CANDIDATES RAN ON -- JOBS, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION -- THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR CANDIDATES RAN ON. NOW, WE HAVE DIFFERENCES ABOUT HOW YOU GROW THE ECONOMY, HOW YOU GET QUALITY EDUCATION, AND SOME DIFFERENCES ON HEALTH CARE. BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THERE'S MORE ROOM FOR CONSENSUS ON THOSE ISSUES THAN THERE IS DIVISION. Glover: MR. GRONSTAL, A MECHANICAL QUESTION, IF I COULD. THERE IS ONE MEMBER OF THE IOWA SENATE, A REPUBLICAN, CHUCK LARSON FROM CEDAR RAPIDS, WHO IS CURRENTLY IN IRAQ IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, MEANING THERE ARE 25 DEMOCRATS AVAILABLE TO VOTE AND 24 REPUBLICANS AVAILABLE TO VOTE. WILL YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT ONE-VOTE ADVANTAGE TO ORGANIZE THE SENATE AS A DEMOCRATIC SENATE? Gronstal: WE COULD. THAT IS A POSSIBILITY BUT I THINK IT'S THE WRONG TRACK TO TAKE BECAUSE WE STILL NEED 26 VOTES TO PASS A BILL. THE MISTAKE I THINK FOR EITHER PARTY WOULD BE TO START IN JANUARY WITH A HIGHLY PARTISAN BATTLE THAT DIVIDES THE INSTITUTION WHEN IN FACT IN ORDER TO GOVERN, WE'RE GOING TO NEED 26 VOTES AT A MINIMUM. SO I THINK IT WOULD -- I THINK WE MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT. I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO DO IT. Glover: CAN YOU TELL ME TODAY THAT YOU WON'T? Gronstal: IT'S UNLIKELY THAT I WILL PURSUE THAT COURSE, HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT I WILL PURSUE THAT COURSE. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI, WHAT'S THE REPUBLICAN RESPONSE TO THAT? Lamberti: WELL, WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE I WOULD AGREE THAT THE WAY YOU WANT TO START THIS SESSION -- AND WE BELIEVE WE ARE AT 25-25 -- IS NOT TO START WITH SOMETHING DIVISIVE, NOT TO TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ONE OF OUR MEMBERS SERVING AMERICA IN IRAQ -- Gronstal: HONORABLY IN IRAQ. Lamberti: IT WOULD GET US OFF ON THE WRONG FOOT. I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO GOVERN TOGETHER. WE HAVE TO GET 26 VOTES, AND LET'S FIND A WAY TO SHARE POSITIONS AND SO FORTH. AND LET'S MOVE FORWARD SO WHEN WE GET THERE IN JANUARY, WE KNOW HOW THE SENATE IS GOING TO OPERATE. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, HELP ME WITH MY SPRING VACATION PLANS. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE'LL HAVE A SHORTER SESSION OUT OF THIS MAYBE? Lamberti: YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE HOPES WHEN WE GO INTO SESSION THAT SOMEHOW IT WILL BE SHORTER, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY DONE A REASONABLE JOB IN KEEPING THEM TO THE TIME FRAME THAT WE WANT. CLEARLY IT'S GOING TO BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF BILLS TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE -- YOU KNOW, AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL, I THINK THE COMMITTEE CHAIRS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP SOME SYSTEM WHERE THEY'RE BOTH IN AGREEMENT TO BRING UP A BILL. THAT I THINK WILL HAVE THE IMPACT OF LIMITING THE NUMBER OF ISSUES. I SEE THE BUDGET PROBABLY BEING THE HARDEST THING FOR US -- Gronstal: A DIFFICULT PIECE FOR BOTH OF US TO DEAL WITH. Lamberti: -- TO FIND RESOLUTION. SO THAT COULD KEEP US IN SESSION. BUT I THINK THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT WE DEBATE PROBABLY WILL BE DOWN. Gronstal: LET ME -- LET ME SAY, DAVID, WHILE I WOULDN'T PREDICT NECESSARILY A SHORTER SESSION, THE LIKELIHOOD OF SPECIAL SESSIONS I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT. SO YOUR SUMMER -- SO YOUR SUMMER VACATION PROBABLY WILL BE SECURE. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI, OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN CONTROLLED PRETTY FIRMLY BY REPUBLICANS AND IT'S KIND OF CHARTED AN INDEPENDENT COURSE OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PROPOSED. HOW DOES THIS AFFECT THE ROLE THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL PLAY IN SETTING AN AGENDA FOR THE LEGISLATURE? Lamberti: YOU KNOW, I THINK REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS, THE GOVERNOR IS GOING TO HAVE TO GOVERN. AND I DON'T WANT TO SOUND LIKE HE HASN'T GOVERNED OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, BUT WE KNEW WHEN WE GOT HIS BUDGET, THERE WAS GOING TO BE SO MUCH DISAGREEMENT THAT WE WERE ESSENTIALLY STARTING WITH A CLEAN PIECE OF PAPER. THAT WON'T BE TRUE THIS YEAR. THE GOVERNOR I THINK NEEDS TO PLAY A BIG ROLE, A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN HELPING US REACH CONSENSUS NOT ONLY AMONG THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE, BUT ALSO WORKING WITH OUR HOUSE COUNTERPARTS. HE NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE, WORKING WITH US TO REACH THAT CONSENSUS. CLEARLY HE CAN'T ADOPT PARTISAN POSITIONS ANY MORE THAN I COULD IN A DIVIDED SENATE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE STATE AS A WHOLE, SO HE NEEDS TO BE AT THE TABLE. Glover: MR. GRONSTAL, WHAT'S THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR IN THIS NEXT CYCLE? Gronstal: I AGREE WITH JEFF, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CLOSER WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOVERNOR. IT'S GOING TO BE LESS EASY FOR THE SENATE DEMOCRATS TO SAY WE ALL WANT TO PUT A BUNCH OF MONEY INTO THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AS WELL. THERE IS NO -- THERE'S NO LONGER A MINORITY. THERE'S NO LONGER A MAJORITY. WE'VE GOT TO TRY AND -- AND I'VE GOT TO REPEAT, WE'RE GOING TO DO -- TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY AS THE DEMOCRATIC LEADER, I'M GOING TO TRY TO CREATE A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REPUBLICAN LEADER THAT SAYS WE ARE EQUALS AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND WE'RE GOING TO ENCOURAGE OUR COCHAIRS OF OUR COMMITTEES TO WORK TOGETHER. WE'RE GOING TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO INTEGRATE THEIR STAFFS. WE'RE GOING TO -- THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE POWER. THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS HAVE DEIGNED, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND WORK BY EXAMPLE TO GO THROUGH WITH THAT. Glover: AND AGAIN, MECHANICALLY HAVE YOU TWO MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO SIT DOWN WITH THE GOVERNOR AND TALK THESE THINGS THROUGH? Gronstal: WELL, I HAD LUNCH WITH THE GOVERNOR ON WEDNESDAY, ALONG WITH SENATOR IVERSON AND SPEAKER RANTS AND PAT MURPHY. AND THE TWO -- THE OTHER TWO LEADERS WERE NOT AVAILABLE THAT DAY. BUT THOSE EFFORTS WILL BE ONGOING. Lamberti: I AM GOING TO BE HAVING LUNCH WITH THE GOVERNOR IN A FEW DAYS TO TALK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT AND THE BIGGER PICTURE ABOUT HOW WE PUT THIS TOGETHER. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, WHAT ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE HOUSE? I MEAN THERE'S 51-49 OVER THERE, WHICH ISN'T EXACTLY A MANDATE FOR REPUBLICANS OVER THERE. THEY CAN ORGANIZE THE HOUSE. BUT IS THE ROLE OF THE HOUSE SOMEWHAT DIMINISHED HERE? IF THE ONLY KEYHOLE TO THE LEGISLATURE IS GETTING A BILL THROUGH A DEADLOCKED IOWA SENATE, I MEAN DOESN'T THE HOUSE REALLY HAVE TO TAKE ITS CUES NOW FROM -- WHATEVER THE SENATE CAN PASS, THE HOUSE ESSENTIALLY HAS TO PASS? Lamberti: I THINK IT DEPENDS ON HOW WELL WE DO OUR JOB REACHING CONSENSUS AND GOVERNING, BECAUSE I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER STATES AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT -- AND I CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH STATE. I BELIEVE IT WAS INDIANA WHERE THEY HAD A DEADLOCK, AND IT REALLY RESULTED IN GRIDLOCK WHERE THAT CHAMBER COULD NOT GET ANYTHING DONE. IT SHIFTED POWER TO THE OTHER CHAMBER. SO IF MIKE AND I AND OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE CAN'T FIND A WAY TO GOVERN, I THINK IT WILL ACTUALLY SHIFT POWER TO THE HOUSE. Yepsen: DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, BECAUSE THAT SHOULD BE THE OPPOSITE? Gronstal: NO, I DO AGREE AND I THINK -- BUT I THINK WE'RE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH WHAT THE VOTERS DEIGNED. AND I THINK WE CAN WORK TOGETHER AND FIND THAT MIDDLE GROUND, FIND OUR AREAS OF AGREEMENT. WE'LL BOTH DROP OUR AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT: WE WANT THIS; THEY WANT THAT; THEY DON'T LIKE IT; WHAT DO WE BOTH AGREE ON. I THINK WE CAN FIND THAT GROUND. AND I THINK IT WILL BE HEALTHIER FOR IOWA. I THINK IT WILL LOWER THE LEVEL OF POLITICS, LOWER THE LEVEL OF PARTISANSHIP INSIDE THE INSTITUTION, AND I REALLY THINK THAT'S WHAT THE VOTERS WANT. Borg: MR. LAMBERTI, I KNOW YOU STILL HAVE THE PENDING LUNCH WITH THE GOVERNOR TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC ISSUES, BUT LET ME BRING UP ONE TO SEE HOW THIS MIGHT WORK. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. THE GOVERNOR HAS ALREADY TELEGRAPHED TO THE EFFECT THAT HE'S GOING TO PUT AN EMPHASIS ON FUNDING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT REPUBLICANS IN THE IOWA SENATE CAN SUPPORT WITH A SPLIT SENATE? Lamberti: OH, I THINK SO. I MEAN I THINK WE ALL SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. THE PROBLEM IS ALWAYS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FUND IT. AND THAT'S WHERE, AGAIN, I THINK THE BUDGET ISSUES ARE GOING TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT AS WE WORK OUR WAY THROUGH. YOU KNOW, I SPENT THREE YEARS AS APPROPRIATIONS CHAIR, AND THEY WERE PROBABLY THREE OF THE WORST YEARS WE'VE HAD IN RECENT MEMORY IN IOWA. AND SO I'M ACTUALLY HAPPY TO SHARE SOME OF THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR BALANCING THE BUDGET WITH MIKE AND HIS COLLEAGUES. THOSE WILL BE THE DIFFICULT THINGS. SURE, WE HAVE SHARED PRIORITIES ON EDUCATION, ON GROWING THE ECONOMY. WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FUND IT, AND THOSE WILL BE THE DIFFICULT ISSUES. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO SOMETHING. WE HAD AN ELECTION LAST WEEK, AND SO IT'S TIME TO START TALKING ABOUT THE NEXT ELECTION. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A FACTOR THROUGHOUT THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION. THE FACT IS THE NEXT ELECTION WILL BE ONE WHERE A NEW GOVERNOR IS ELECTED. THERE IS ALREADY SOME MANEUVERING BETWEEN BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS OVER THAT ISSUE. WHAT'S THE EFFECT OF THE UPCOMING GOVERNOR'S ELECTION GOING TO HAVE? I MEAN THAT TRADITIONALLY MAKES THE LEGISLATURE THAT MUCH MORE PARTISAN, THAT MUCH MORE DIVIDED. HOW CAN YOU AVOID THAT THIS TIME? Lamberti: WELL, I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AFTER THIS ELECTION, WHERE WE'RE KIND OF AT A CLEAN SLATE, WE KNOW WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GOVERN AND REACH CONSENSUS. I THINK WE'LL DO THAT. MY HOPE IS THAT THAT CARRIES OVER TO THE SECOND YEAR WHEN WE ARE REALLY GETTING INTO THOSE ELECTIONS. CLEARLY THAT TURNS MORE PARTISAN. BUT IF IN THE SENATE WE KNOW WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE 25-25 OR WE PRESUME WE WILL A YEAR FROM NOW, PARTISANSHIP IS GOING TO MEAN GRIDLOCK IN THE IOWA SENATE. SO WHILE MANY OF OUR MEMBERS AND MAYBE EVEN US TO A CERTAIN EXTENT WOULD WANT TO ENGAGE IN MUCH MORE PARTISAN POLITICS IN AN ELECTION YEAR, PARTICULARLY IN A GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION, IF WE DO THAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GOVERN. SO IT'S GOING TO MAKE FOR AN INTERESTING YEAR IN '06. Yepsen: SENATOR GRONSTAL, I WANT TO GO BACK TO BUDGET. YOU BOTH MENTIONED THIS OUR HERE. SO FIRST OF ALL, JUST GIVE ME YOUR APPRAISAL OF THE CONDITION OF IOWA'S FINANCES, WHAT SORT OF BUDGET CHALLENGES YOU SEE AHEAD IN THE NEXT LEGISLATURE. Gronstal: WELL, I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THERE'S BEEN GOOD NEWS IN TERMS OF REVENUES FOR THE STATE OF IOWA. WE WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE DOLLARS THAN WE EXPECTED TO HAVE AT THIS POINT, SO IT ISN'T ALL UNHAPPY NEWS. THERE ARE STILL SERIOUS CHALLENGES. THERE ARE STILL FUNDS WE NEED TO RETURN TO FUNDS THAT WE BORROWED FROM. I BELIEVE WE CAN BEGIN THAT PROCESS, BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SPARE MONEY. WE WILL WAIT. WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE REVENUE ESTIMATING CONFERENCE NUMBERS HERE IN DECEMBER WHEN THEY COME OUT WITH THEIR REVENUE ESTIMATE, THAT WE HAVE TO SET OUR BUDGET. WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH DUE DILIGENCE. AND WE NOW SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET, AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT -- WE'RE GOING TO -- I THINK WE CAN DO THAT WELL. WE DID IT IN THE '90S. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, DO YOU EXPECT ANY MAJOR CHANGE IN IOWA'S TAX POLICIES AS A RESULT OF THIS ELECTION? YOU'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE MONEY TO PLAY WITH, BUT YOU'VE ALSO GOT A LOT OF DEMANDS TO SPEND IT. A LOT OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES ON TAX POLICY. CAN YOU FIND A COMPROMISE OR DOES THAT BECOME ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT GETS SET ASIDE? Lamberti: WELL, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THINGS ON TAX POLICY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT'S PART OF GROWING THIS ECONOMY, SO I WOULDN'T GIVE UP THE OPPORTUNITY. I'M NOT SURE THERE'S MUCH TALK OUT THERE ABOUT RAISING ANY TAX, SO I THINK THAT ISSUE MAY BE OFF THE TABLE AND I THINK WE'LL SEE. WE CLEARLY HAVE A GROWING ECONOMY, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS FOR US, WHICH I BELIEVE WOULD LESSEN ANY CLAIMS THAT WE NEED TO RAISE TAXES. I WOULD STILL LIKE TO DO SOME THINGS TO IMPROVE OUR BUSINESS TAX CLIMATE TO HELP GROW THE ECONOMY, AND I WANT TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH MIKE AND WITH THE GOVERNOR. Glover: MR. GRONSTAL, SINCE THE LEGISLATURE WAS LAST IN SESSION, THE COURT HAS DEALT WITH THE ISSUE OF THE IOWA VALUES FUND. THERE IS NOW NO PERMANENT FUNDING SOURCE FROM IT. WILL YOU BE ABLE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON A PERMANENT FUNDING SOURCE OF THE VALUES FUND. Gronstal: I BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A CLEAR CONSENSUS INSIDE THE IOWA SENATE TO CONTINUE -- TO REESTABLISH AND CONTINUE THE IOWA VALUES FUND. IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THERE WAS BROAD SUPPORT FOR THAT ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, AND MAYBE NOT QUITE AS BROAD BUT SIGNIFICANT SUPPORT FOR THAT ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE. I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY GET THAT DONE. Glover: MR. LAMBERTI? Lamberti: I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT. AGAIN, THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS WHERE DO YOU GET THE MONEY. I MEAN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER $4- TO $500 MILLION. THAT WAS THE PROBLEM EARLY ON. THAT WILL BE THE STRUGGLE. BUT THE COMMITMENT I BELIEVE AMONG CERTAINLY AT LEAST 26 MEMBERS OF THE IOWA SENATE, AND PROBABLY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THAT, WANT TO SEE THE VALUES FUND MADE PERMANENT. Yepsen: SENATOR LAMBERTI, WHAT ABOUT FUNDING FOR EDUCATION? EVERYBODY CAMPAIGNS FOR EDUCATION. THE SCHOOLS WANT 4-, 5-, 6-PERCENT ALLOWABLE GROWTH ON TOP OF WHAT DEAN IS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD INITIATIVE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS. IS IT REALISTIC FOR SCHOOLS -- LOCAL SCHOOLS TO EXPECT A LOT OF NEW MONEY OUT OF THIS LEGISLATURE? Lamberti: WELL, FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR, WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED 4 PERCENT. AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT A YEAR FROM NOW OR EVEN FARTHER INTO THE FUTURE. Yepsen: SO WHAT'S ALLOWABLE GROWTH GOING TO BE? Lamberti: YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT. I THINK IT'S PART OF PUTTING THAT BUDGET TOGETHER. WHEN K-12 EDUCATION REPRESENTS 40 PERCENT OF YOUR BUDGET, ALLOWABLE GROWTH IS A BIG NUMBER. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET. Yepsen: SENATOR GRONSTAL, WHAT'S ALLOWABLE GROWTH GOING TO BE? Gronstal: I DON'T THINK -- I DON'T THINK IT'S TIME YET TO ESTABLISH A NUMBER FOR ALLOWABLE GROWTH. Borg: LET ME JUST -- Gronstal: WE HAVE TO -- WE DO HAVE TO WORK THROUGH A VERY COMPLICATED PROCESS HERE OF: NUMBER ONE, POWER SHARING INSIDE THE SENATE; NUMBER TWO, TAKING A LOOK AT WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE; NUMBER THREE, DEALING WITH A REPUBLICAN HOUSE. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO WORK OUT. SO I THINK AT THE MOMENT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS, IN TERMS OF STYLE, WE LAY OUT PARAMETERS THAT SAY WE'RE ALL GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND TRY AND FIND A WAY THROUGH THIS AND TRY AND GOVERN WELL. SO I'M NOT GOING TO START THROWING NUMBERS OUT THERE AND LET THE REPUBLICANS SAY WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO START INTO THAT GAME. I REPEAT, OUR CANDIDATES RAN ON JOB CREATION, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH CARE. AND WE WILL CONTINUE THAT FIGHT FOR THOSE ISSUES, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A BUNCH OF PREJUDGMENTS TODAY ON "IOWA PRESS." Yepsen: WE'VE GOT LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT. SENATOR LAMBERTI, IS THIS GOING TO BE A BACK-ROOM DEAL SENATE, OR WILL YOU PLEDGE TO CONDUCT THE PUBLIC'S BUSINESS IN OPEN? IT STRIKES ME THAT IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS, YOU'LL GET THE TWO LEADERS TOGETHER, THEY'LL CUT A DEAL, AND THAT'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN. WILL YOU BE IN THE OPEN? Lamberti: YOU KNOW WHAT I HOPE HAPPENS IS THAT WE GET COMMITTEE CHAIRS WORKING TOGETHER, WE GET OUR STAFFS WORKING TOGETHER AND THAT IN LARGE PART THEY DRIVE THE AGENDA, THEY REACH CONSENSUS. I THINK THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE TRIED TO OPERATE, AND I HOPE WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT. Borg: ONE QUESTION THAT DIDN'T GET ASKED, BUT WE'RE OUT OF TIME: IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE LIFE OF A LOBBYIST TOO, AND I'D BE INTERESTED IN THAT COMMENT IN THE FUTURE. Yepsen: THAT MAY NOT BE ALL BAD. Borg: WE'LL BE TRACKING THE ISSUES AND THE ONE I JUST RAISED IN COMING WEEKS AS LEGISLATORS ORGANIZE THEMSELVES FOR THE NEW GENERAL ASSEMBLY. WELL, THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEKEND, REGULAR TIMES: 7:30 FRIDAY, SUNDAY AT NOON. I'M DEAN BORG. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY. CAPTIONS BY: MIDWEST CAPTIONING DES MOINES, IOWA FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS PROVIDED BY "FRIENDS," THE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION FOUNDATION; BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR BUSINESS, PERSONAL, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS; AND BY CAPITOL RESOURCES, INC., LOCATED IN BROOKLYN, IOWA; AND NICOLE SCHLINGER AND ERIC LANGE INDIVIDUALLY, FUND-RAISING AND COMMUNICATION SERVICES FOR MAJOR CAMPAIGNS SINCE 1996. |
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