The second edition of the Concerned Citizen newsletter has just been released over the weekend. Created by members of Iowans For Accountability (IFA), the first edition of the newsletter covered local political issues in Scott County, Iowa such as the 911 dispatching consolidation project, sustainable development, Fully Informed Jury Information (FIJA), had a suggested reading list, a schedule of local liberty meetings and government meetings, and even a local politician directory. 5,000 copies were printed and distributed. The second edition is now available to the public and can either be delivered or be picked up at the River Cities Reader building at 532 w 3rd st in Davenport. If you require delivery, please call Michael Elliott at (563)570-5395.

This second edition covers topics like the Bi-State Regional Commission, an open letter to the Scott County Grand Jurors, the IFA YouTube channel information, a new suggested reading list, and the new meeting schedules. These newsletters not only inform Scott county residents of important political issues in their local area, but also act as a way to give them a voice on various local issues that may not be covered by other media outlets in the Quad City Area. These newsletters are made possible by donations made out to Iowans For Accountability (IFA) which can be mailed to PO Box 514, Blue Grass, IA 52726 or dropped off at the River Cities Reader as listed above.

Both, the first issue and the second are available online as well. First addition is available here at http://www.scribd.com/doc/54185285/The-Concerned-Citizen-Vol-1-Issue-1, and the newly released second edition's link is here at http://www.scribd.com/doc/63923542/Scott-County-IFA-s-Concerned-Citizen-Sep-Oct-2011-Edition.

On Monday, the Iowa legislature will convene for the 2010 legislative session, and Iowans across the state will hold their breath, waiting to see if Governor Chet Culver and legislators will increase taxes. Iowans are all painfully aware the state budget is in terrible shape with a billion-dollar spending gap.

In October, the governor issued a simplistic 10-percent across-the-board budget cut, subjecting Iowans to property-tax increases, reductions in services, and a bigger budget disaster for next year. The state budget cannot be fixed by short-term reactionary measures; I chose to suggest state-budget-savings measures to Governor Culver and the legislature, with the following criteria for each recommendation:

  • cumulatively reduce state spending by 10 percent;
  • hold K-12 education funding harmless;
  • hold-public safety funding harmless;
  • no mass layoffs; and
  • no property-tax or any other tax increases.

The River Cities' Reader asked Iowa state legislators from Scott County to answer two questions related to the national popular vote and the deductibility of federal income-tax payments. The deadline to respond was five days after the questions were sent out. All four Republicans responded. Of the five Democrats, only Representative Elesha Gayman responded.

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