Iowa House of Representatives

Greg Forristall was the speaker at the Optimist Club on August 28.  He has been in the House four years and is unopposed this year.  He is on the Education, Human Resources, Ways and Means, and Economic Growth committees, and the Economic Development Appropriations sub-committee.

Forristall said that Iowa has not faced the brunt of the economic downturn.  Unemployment is around 6%.  However, the legislature will have to make some difficult decisions next year to balance the budget, as required by law.  Tax revenues have been down the past two years, but this year it is slightly above estimates.

In response to a question about road maintenance, Forristall said that the gasoline tax and the increased car and pickup registration fees are dedicated to road maintenance by state law.  However, the cost of materials for road maintenance keeps going up, but people are driving less and cars are getting better mileage, so the revenue keeps going down.

Greg Forristall said that 96% of the children in the state are covered by insurance.  Iowa has an ICHIP program to insure the remaining 4%, but it is difficult to get parents to sign up for the program.