Democrats see difficult year in Iowa Legislature

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

State Sen. Rich Taylor, D-Mt. Pleasant, has mixed feelings as he thinks about the upcoming Iowa legislative session.

Speaking at a post-election county Democratic Party gathering Thursday night at Jerry?s Restaurant in Mt. Pleasant, Taylor said he sees more clouds than sunshine come January when legislators convene in Des Moines.

For the first time in his senate career, Taylor and his Democratic colleagues will be in the minority. ?This year, it is going to be more difficult to represent you because we no longer have control (of the senate),? Taylor began. ?It will be a completely different experience for me.?

The rural Mt. Pleasant resident will be starting his second four-year term in the senate and the previous four years his party was in control of the senate. He said he expects the Republicans to attempt to make large-scale changes.

?Public education will be under attack,? he predicted. ?The Republicans want a voucher program which will be tough on public schools. Hopefully, we can stop that. They also are going to attack public employees (bargaining units). They have some bad things planned.?

Despite being in the minority, Taylor said his voice will be heard in the chambers. ?I will not give up. I will speak up when I see something I oppose. I promise to work hard for you. However, you have to keep me informed, either by email or phone calls.?

One of the rays of sunshine he sees is an opportunity to capture the governor?s chair. Republican Gov. Terry Branstad?s term expires in 2018. ?Hopefully, we will capitalize on the opportunity and get a new governor.?

In closing, he said he appreciates the support from county Democrats. ?I thank you for the opportunity to be in the Iowa Senate. Four years ago you took a leap of faith by electing someone who never had run for political office.?

Sandy Dockendorf, of Danville, the Congressional District 2 chairperson, also spoke, informing the group she is seeking the Iowa Democratic Party chair. ?Right now, I am going around listening,? she commented. ?I was hoping the election would have been Dec. 17, so I would have had time to meet with people and develop a legislative plan.?

The election, however, will be Jan. 21 in Des Moines.

Dockendorf said she would like to see the party return to its grass-roots philosophy. ?I would like us to go back to a grass-roots and issue-driven party. We have been turned into a turnout organization. Now we have the opportunity to be advocates of the party.

?We need advocates of the party that have Rich?s (Taylor) back,? she continued. ?The Republican House and Senate don?t get along well. I think this year we will see a lot of dysfunction in the legislature.?

Penny Creech was the final speaker. She told her peers that she was organizing a petition drive to ask the Iowa Corps of Engineers to do an environmental study on the Bakken or Dakota Access Pipeline that will be running through Iowa.

Henry County Democratic Co-Chair Emery Styron closed the meeting by rewarding residents for their work during the 2016 election cycle.