Danny Homan, President of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 Public Hearing Comments

Hello, my name is Danny Homan, President of AFSCME Iowa Council 61. I want to begin by saying that I find the way this public hearing was scheduled very troubling. This public hearing is being held one day before the Iowa House will likely take up this bill, which gives the public very little time to react to these nearly 600 pages of legislation. This hearing was scheduled just yesterday, which gives people very little time to make plans to be here, no matter who you are or what you do. Originally this hearing was scheduled from 8 am to 10 am, a time that is not very friendly to working people, I am sure that was done by design. Then, at the last minute, it was changed again, for 4 pm today. Very few AFSCME members are be able to be here to voice their concerns about this bill, because they are working, and had no time to ask for leave or make other arrangements to speak. When the majority party campaigned last year, we heard promises that they would bring greater transparency to this chamber and the legislative process. This entire bill, and the process that surrounds it, should make it very clear that the promises of greater transparency was nothing more than cheap campaign rhetoric.

AFSCME members are concerned about what will happen in the event of a government shutdown. Many state workers are living paycheck to paycheck, just like most of America’s middle class. They have to feed their families, pay their mortgages, car payments, and other obligations, yet today the Iowa House began the day worried about who’s name is on some building in Ames. That is a slap in the face to the public who now finds themselves in this serious situation.

I have submitted a freedom of information act request to the Governor to understand what he called “contingency plans” are being made in the event of a government shutdown. Eight days have now passed without action on that item. While this may seem like a political game to you or the Governor, remember you are dealing with families’ livelihoods. State workers are more than just numbers on a spreadsheet – they are your neighbors and a vital part of Iowa’s economy.

HF 697 is the wrong way to go about passing a much needed budget for Iowa. To take legislation that has failed, mix it in with a budget, and roll it up into one of the largest bills in Iowa history is just plain wrong. The collective bargaining bill that was brought up before this legislature was rightly rejected by the Iowa Senate. The changes that were suggested are just too extreme. We are Iowa, not Wisconsin or Ohio, and I appreciate that some in the legislature understood that. At the beginning of session, I had a conversation with Speaker Paulsen, who assured me that the new majority would not be “taking it out” on public employees. After witnessing the events of this entire session and the past few days, I know I was wrong to believe him.