It's A Mad House!

Jay and I Return to the Awful Battle Front

Today we got to the Iowa Capitol Building before seven-thirty in the morning and it wasn't long before we began our encounters with legislators there. The Iowa Representative Jason Shultz, who last week I mistook as being his colleague Dave Jacoby, a film supporter, was our first encounter today.

As Rep. Shultz was making his way into the House chamber, Jay asked if he had voted down the governor's recommended funding of the Iowa Film Office. Without a smile and without even stopping, Mr. Shultz simply said, "Yes, I did."

At the opposite end of the spectrum we met with Senator Joe Bolkom. He was so kind to us, so understanding and supportive. He was disappointed that the Iowa House slashed so many programs with no apparent regard for the human impact this drastic budget axing would have. Funding for the Iowa Film Office was one of those programs that suffered a deadly blow when the House voted for ZERO funding.

While speaking with Senator Bolkom, our friend Senator Bill Dotzler, Jr. joined in and shared his feelings about the House's actions and said he would fight for us and get as much of Governor Branstad's IFO funding recommended allocation as he can.

Soon after this we met with Senator Shawn Hamerlinck, who in past sessions told us he wasn't one who supports the film program, but today he seemed sympathetic, maybe because the House voted for nothing for the IFO. He seemed unhappy that the Iowa House and Senate were so sharply divided. Shawn has always leveled with us and despite his views we find him to be quite honest.

Representative Peter Cownie spoke with us. He was one of the House members who voted against the IFO, yet he said he would "advocate" for us. His wife Mary Cownie is director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, where the Iowa Film Office will reside if it is brought back to life.

Representative Stu Iverson, who has many times spoken with us and who has said he is with us, said this IFO funding issue will last throughout this legislative session and that he believed there would be money allocated to refund the IFO. Fellow representative Dan Kelley is another legislator who has always given us his warm words of support and today he said he would speak for us on the House floor.

Jay and I ran into David Roederer, Director of Management and Budget, who urged us to continue the fight and not give up. I will give you readers the same advice, to continue to write and call Iowa legislators. Kindly ask them to support the governor's $400,000 figure. The ball is now in the court of the Iowa Senate, so if you do contact legislators, start there. But also remember to write to members of the Iowa House, because it is they who pushed their budget dagger through the IFO's heart.

gene l. hamilton