The Iowa Legislature has adjourned for the year

The Iowa Legislature adjourned its 2012 session Wednesday evening after approving a $6.2 billion budget for the state.

This year's session might become known as much for what it didn't do as for what it did do.  Lawmakers could not agree on a measure to reduce property taxes.  They also took little action on Governor Terry Branstad's proposed education reforms.  And a proposed gas tax increase didn't even make it to the floor of the legislature.

Lawmakers did form a new board to oversee open meetings and records laws and did approve a new mental health system that create a new regionalized statewide system.

State Representative Roger Thomas of Elkader--whose new legislative district will include much of Winneshiek County--choose to emphasize the positive after the legislature adjourned.  "When we put politics aside, we passed a responsible state budget that will leave the state with over $985 million in surplus and reserves next year.  We also made government more accountable to the people of Iowa and saved taxpayers $3.5 million by improving government efficiency," said Thomas.

Thomas said progress was made this year to create jobs and grow Iowa's skilled workforce through measures involving training at our community colleges, tuition assistance for the middle class families, tuition grants for students to fill job openings in shortage areas, a new high quality jobs initiative, and several other bills designed to increase the use of renewable energy.