Legislative forum in Postville draws a crowd of 120 people

(Photo courtesy of Birgitta Meade)

Each year state legislators hold "listening posts" in their districts, meeting with voters to discuss issues before the legislature.  In the past it would be unusual to get more than a couple dozen people attending.  No more.  The 2016 election changed all that.

Saturday morning in Postville a crowd estimated at 120 people attended a listening post held by State Representatives Mike Bergan and Kristi Hager.  Members of the local chapter of the Indivisible Movement, "Indivisible NE Iowa," and other Decorah area residents made up roughly half of the audience.

Many questions and comments addressed proposed changes to Chapter 20 of the Iowa Code regarding collective bargaining, which would affect teachers and other  public employees but exempts police officers, sheriffs, firefighters, and park rangers. 

Another issue that drew a lot of questions and comments was the proposed legislation (Senate File 2) which would eliminate $3 million in  federal government funds for the current family planning services in the state and would create a replacement system that would use Iowa tax dollars.  At issue is whether there would be enough state money available to replace the federal funds which would be lost as a result of this proposed legislation and both Hager and Bergan said they could not guarantee that this would be the case.