Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats came out swinging in this year's first Republican gubernatorial debate, attacking opponent and former Governor Terry Branstad on everything from raising taxes to bringing gambling to the state to appointing two of the Supreme Court justices who wrote the decision legalizing same-sex marriage in Iowa.

"Leadership is also about being honest," Vander Plaats said Wednesday. "Governor Branstad, some of the results are: raising taxes not once but twice; increasing fees 30 times; bringing in gambling, parimutuel betting, the state lottery; growing the size of government two and a half times. Those are also results that we need to be honest with the people of Iowa about."

The Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) announced the termination of Executive Director Maxine Kilcrease, while the Legislative Council voted to authorize the legislature's government-oversight committees to meet jointly during the 2010 interim to conduct an investigation, issue subpoenas, and take other actions relating to the IASB.

IASB Board President Russ Wiesley said the board voted Thursday to terminate Kilcrease's employment, citing her decision to request and accept a salary increase of more than $100,000 without board approval. The board said Kilcrease also gave raises to several employees at the same time other employees were being terminated for financial reasons; prevented the IASB's auditing firm from providing information to the board; and directed an attorney to threaten the firm.

"We believe this to be in the best interest of the association," Wiesley said. "As a board we feel we were misled and blocked from information, and it has caused a huge amount of distress for this critical Iowa organization we so deeply care about."

Democratic lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a long-awaited tax-credit-reform package that they said would reduce Iowa's tax-credit liability by $115 million a year; Republicans and business leaders were quick to criticize the legislation and said it sends the wrong message.

"We have listened to the public's anger at abuses and we are responding with historic reforms," said Senator Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City), chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee. "We are ending some tax credits, cutting many remaining credits, and dramatically increasing accountability for all tax-credit spending."

The unveiling of House Study Bill 738 came two weeks before the targeted March 26 adjournment of the legislature.

Controversial bills backed by labor unions and opposed by Iowa's business community are at risk of not surviving the legislature's self-imposed "funnel" deadline next week -- a situation exacerbated by the sudden retirement of one Democratic lawmaker.

"We're still working to find consensus on those issues," said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (D-Des Moines). "There are negotiations that are occurring. If there are requisite votes for passage, then that will move forward. But right now, particularly in the wake of one of our members' serious illness ... that's more challenging."