2010 ABI Priorities
Fiscal Responsibility
ABI urges policymakers to employ standards and criteria necessary to produce affordable, accountable and sustainable budgets that Iowa taxpayers can rely on year after year. A sound budget development process avoids the use of non-recurring funding sources for on going expenses; multi-year accelerating commitments that create “built-in” budget increases; new automatic, or “standing,” appropriations that evade annual legislative review; and accurately determines revenues and expenses.
Economic Growth
ABI believes the short and long-term prosperity of Iowa depends on the successful development of new and existing business and industry. Vigorous economic development can best be realized through a superior business, regulatory and tax climate. In challenging economic times, Iowa should actively pursue policies that aggressively create an environment for growth and not those that make Iowa less competitive.
Right to Work
ABI supports Iowa’s Right to Work law as a vital freedom for all Iowans. No one in the public sector or in private industry should be forced to join a union or pay dues or fees to a union in order to get or keep a job. Any change would have an adverse affect on job creation and economic development in Iowa.
Workers’ Compensation Direction of Medical Care
ABI supports Iowa’s current system of employers’ direction of medical care for work-related injuries. Change would adversely affect Iowa’s balanced system, negatively impact economic development efforts, and impair the quality of care.
Public Sector Employment
ABI opposes any expansion to the current scope of bargaining in Iowa Code Chapter 20 (public sector employment). ABI also opposes any changes which would erode the authority of public bodies with relation to employment, including but not limited to Iowa Code Chapter 279 (public school boards). Such changes would significantly impact the costs to local governments, placing additional burdens on taxpayers.
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