Last week, I had the privilege of attending the 11th annual Iowa Christian Academy Celebration.  A very special thank you to Charles Croyle and his wife Lisa, who invited me to attend as their guest.  The evening featured several wonderful presentations by ICA students, a dramatic presentation by Mr. Michael Ernst as Charles Carroll (the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence), and capped off by a speech by Bryan English of the Iowa Family Policy Center.

Iowa Christian Academy an independent Christian school in West Des Moines.  Their mission statement reads:  “Founded in 1999, Iowa Christian Academy (ICA) is an independent, interdenominational school meeting the educational needs of preschool through 12th grade students. ICA is an accredited college-preparatory school that provides academic excellence in a nurturing Christian environment. ICA works in partnership with families to help students become all that God intended them to be.” It was clear from the evening’s celebration that they executing this mission well.

The central theme of the evening’s program was on American history, government and civic responsibility.  It was encouraging to see future leaders of our country who understand the proper role of government in society.  Three students stood together to recite the Gettysburg Address from memory, while others presented portions of the Declaration of Independence.   It was a challenge to me that I need to go back and re-read some of our founding documents again.

I particularly enjoyed Mr. Ernst’s dramatic interpretation of Charles Carroll.  Mr. Ernst’s organizaion called “His Men Revealed” .  From their website:

His Men Revealed is the drama ministry of Michael J. Ernst, which includes a series of presentations, programs and workshops. Mike makes characters come alive to present Christian messages and reveal men who have shaped our faith.  His Men Revealed offers personalized programs for churches, schools and community organizations.

Mr. Ernst treated us to a history of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the founding principles upon which our country was built.  Mr. Ernst’s work was very much appreciated, and I look forward to seeing him again in the near future.

The evening was capped off by Bryan English’s speech.  Through his work with IFPC, Bryan has become a leader in the movement to allow the people of Iowa the right to vote on a constitutional amendment defining marriage in Iowa.  Bryan understands very well that our state and our country are at a crossroads, and that our country needs great young people like the students at ICA.  The students at ICA are clearly going to be future leaders in our country, and that is a very good thing.

This 10% spending cut applies equally to all areas of state government. No effort will be made to prioritize state spending, no effort to determine which state programs are more valuable than others. During the last legislative session, House Republicans offered over amendments amounting to over $330 million in budget savings, yet those were almost all ignored. With targeted cuts, the state would now be in a position to preserve funding for the most critical functions of government.

(Question: Is the Power Fund equally as important as Education or Public Safety?)

It is important to understand that this budget cut also shifts much of the financial burden on to local communities. Included in the 10% ATB spending cut is local school. Here in the West Des Moines Community School District, initial estimates reveal at least $4 million in direct cuts for FY 2010. By Governor Culver’s own admission, this will likely end up as a property tax increase.

I continue to stand opposed to any property tax increase. Family budgets are stretched too thin and commercial property taxes are already a disincentive to economic development.

While I am glad that Governor Culver has finally seen the light on the need to cut spending, he’s going about it the wrong way. The correct course of action would have been to call the legislature back into special session to make targeted budget cuts. We must learn to set priorities for state spending. It is also regrettable that the Governor has backtracked on his promise to not raise taxes.

My colleagues and I in the House Republican Caucus stand ready to again offer our ideas on how to save the state money. Perhaps next year, the Governor will be listening.

Here’s the details:

Date: Wednesday, November 4th
Time: 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location: 4906 Aspen Dr. West Des Moines

Tickets: $50/ea., (or $25 for young professionals under 35)

Sponsorship opportunities begin at $125 (or $75 for young professionals)