We are fighting an uphill battle to secure adequate funding for Iowa’s court system. To avoid more layoffs and more courthouse closings, the Legislature must accept the $164 million budget requested by Chief Justice Cady and recommended by Governor Branstad.
Keep in mind, the Governor’s budget is not only balanced, but projects a slight surplus. So far, the Legislature is not listening. In the current political climate, too many of our elected representatives have sniffed the air and decided it is safer and simpler to oppose all spending increases than to make tough decisions based on reasoned evaluations of needs and resources. The court system is an easy victim of this mentality because it lacks an organized, vocal constituency. Like it or not, it falls largely to us, the lawyers who use the courts and know the value of the judicial system, to speak not just for ourselves and our clients, but for the countless Iowans who depend on the courts but lack the voice to be heard by their representatives.
Your board of directors asks that you take two specific actions:
1.) Click here and sign the PCBA’s electronic petition, which will go to all Iowa legislators. It takes less than 20 seconds! If the 1500 members of the Polk County Bar Association act together, our voice will be heard!
2.) Click on the email links below of all Polk County legislators and send them a message that you support the Judiciary’s full funding request. If you’re busy, say it in a single sentence. But say it! Or, better yet, copy the email address block below into your address bar and send the same email to all 19 members of the Polk County delegation!
House 42: Kim Pearson
Senate 30: Pat Ward
House 59: Chris Hagenow
House 60: Peter Cownie
Senate 31: Matt McCoy
House 61: Jo Oldson
House 62: Bruce Hunter
Senate 32: Brad Zaun
House 63: Scott Raecker
House 64 Janet Petersen
Senate 33: Jack Hatch
House 65: Ruth Ann Gaines
House 66: Ako Abdul-Samad
Senate 34: Dick Dearden
House 67: Kevin McCarthy
House 68: Rick Olson
Senate 35: Jack Whitver
House 69: Eric Helland
House 70: Kevin Koester
Kim.Pearson@legis.state.ia.us; pat.ward@legis.iowa.gov; chris.hagenow@legis.state.ia.us; peter.cownie@legis.state.ia.us; matt.mccoy@legis.iowa.gov; jo.oldson@legis.state.ia.us; bruce.hunter@legis.state.ia.us; brad.zaun@legis.iowa.gov; scott.raecker@legis.state.ia.us; janet.petersen@legis.state.ia.us; jack.hatch@legis.iowa.gov; RuthAnn.Gaines@legis.state.ia.us; ako.abdul-samad@legis.state.ia.us; dick.dearden@legis.iowa.gov; kevin.mccarthy@legis.state.ia.us; rick.olson@legis.state.ia.us; jack.whitver@legis.iowa.gov; erik.helland@legis.state.ia.us; kevin.koester@legis.state.ia.us
Thanks for your support and advocacy and feel free to contact me if you need additional information.
Steve Eckley
PCBA President
Stephen R. Eckley
Belin McCormick, P.C.
666 Walnut Street Suite 2000
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
515.243.7100 Firm
515.283.4637 Direct Dial
515.558.0637 Fax
sreckley@belinmccormick.com – E-mail
