A gambling bill that Iowa House leaders are pushing quickly to the floor could generate roughly $80 million in revenue for the state, a key legislator said Thursday.

About $70 million of that will likely be contained in an amendment allowing Iowans to play in live poker tournaments online, something state Representative Brian Quirk said an estimated 80,000 in the state already do illegally.

Quirk (D-New Hampton) said he wants to create a safe, regulated environment for those players, many of which are currently using offshore gambling Web sites that offer little protection to users.

Governor Chet Culver has proposed a $5.3-billion state spending plan for Fiscal Year 2011 that uses more than $200 million from the state's cash reserves and $48 million in federal stimulus money, while reducing tax credits by $52.5 million and saving $341 million from state-government reorganization.

Culver said the budget would leave an ending balance of $117.3 million and would leave $265.2 million in the state's cash reserves.

"We have achieved this lower budget by continuing the 10-percent across-the-board budget cut made last fall in Executive Order 19 for most of the General Fund budget," Culver said. "Only 31 percent of programs or agencies would receive any increases over the revised FY 2010 budget ... reflecting the need to reduce state-government spending while preserving critical services for protecting vulnerable adults and children."

Culver's budget recommendations include a $6.9-million increase for the Department of Public Safety to prevent potential layoffs of up to 122 people, and a $25-million increase for the Department of Corrections to avoid layoffs at state prisons.

Former Republican Governor Terry Branstad raised $1.55 million in the two and a half months after the start of his campaign and had $1.36 million left at the end of the year, while Democratic Governor Chet Culver raised $2.15 million in the past 12 months and ended the year with $2.59 million in his campaign chest.

"These fundraising numbers posted by the two governors forebode a very vigorous and spirited statewide campaign ahead," observed Pete Jeffries, senior counsel for Republican Jim Nussle's 2006 gubernatorial campaign.

January

January 10: Matt Strawn becomes chair of the Republican Party of Iowa, defeating former State Representative Danny Carroll of Grinnell by a vote of 10-7 to replace Stewart Iverson. Strawn, the Iowa Barnstormers co-owner and former state director for John McCain, takes his dark-horse candidacy on the road in the months after the November election. Members of the Republican State Central Committee attributed Strawn's win to his ability to use fresh approaches to bring in new members and said his state listening tour helped him gain credibility in his quest for the position.