Normally when Jay and I get to the Iowa State House we immediately find a legislator and begin a discussion concerning the Iowa film office. Today things were very quiet and unpopulated legislator-wise until we had wandered for one or two hours, but our wait paid off. Our first encounter was with the Iowa senator from Waterloo, Bill Dotzler.
Senator Dotzler has spoken up for our film office cause from day one and now he is in his fourth year of doing his utmost to help us. It's been the same length of time for Jay and me, four long years of digging for answers and seeking support. The senator said the appropriations bill which covers funding for the Iowa Film Office is now in the Iowa House and will go back to the senate and eventually to a joint conference where the appropriations bill will be approved. Following this, the film office will be set to re-open, with just shy of what the governor recommended in his budget proposal, $400,000 to fund the film office. The office will not open however, until a manager is announced, which is a long and crazy story in itself.
The amount for funding the IFO will not be less than $385,000, according to Rep. Dave Deyoe, who is the appropriations committee leader on the house side. Presently the IFO has $185,000, and this would be carried over and added to the $200,000-$300,000 allocated to the film office, bringing the total to as little as $385,000 and as much as $485,000 if I understand this complicated situation correctly.
We heard from the governor's office manager, Leo Hough, that the governor would prefer to not interfere or micro-manage the cultural affairs office, which means the selection of the new IFO manager will be strictly in the hands of that department's director, Mary Cownie.
It's gray outside. It's gray symbolically. Sunshine is welcomed so fresh things can grow again.
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