Government Policy and Law

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State growth pegged at 3.3 percent for fiscal ’12

Higher-than-projected state revenues show that Iowa is on the road to recovery, Gov.  Chet Culver announced Monday.

The state’s Revenue Estimating Committee’s (REC) estimates for 2011 fiscal year are $297.7 million more than projected last …

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Disaster task force to meet

The Business Disaster Case Management Task Force will meet this afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Rebuild Iowa Office in the Wallace State Office Building, Conference Room 2 in Des Moines. Information is …

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Des Moines City Council to discuss TIF districts

The Des Moines City Council will vote today on whether to approve a tax increment finance district for an area of the city that borders Altoona and discuss creating a similar district for an area …

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We’re going the wrong way on jobs


As the campaign for Iowa governor continues to focus on job creation, the state’s job losses continue to pile up.

Principal Financial Group Inc.’s decision to get out of the medical insurance business may make …

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FDIC poised to pursue executives of failed banks

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) is poised to recoup more than $1 billion in losses stemming from the credit crisis, Bloomberg reported.

The agency, which is continuing its probe into the financial meltdown, has …

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Court upholds broad ‘manufacturing’ use-tax exemption

The Iowa Supreme Court has affirmed a decision by the Iowa Court of Appeals related to the state’s use-tax exemption policy on equipment indirectly used in a manufacturing process. In an opinion issued this morning, …

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State Small Business Credit Initiative allocations announced

Iowa has received a funding commitment of $13.2 million from the Treasury Department to expand the state’s small business lending programs, the Treasury announced this morning. The funding was authorized by the Small Business Jobs …

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New report pegs bailout loss at $29 billion

The U.S. Treasury Department expects to lose $29 billion on the bailouts stemming from the financial crisis, with most of the losses in its housing finance program and the “cash for clunkers” initiative, The New …

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Bridge loans funding to assist homeowners

Homeowners at risk of foreclosure in Iowa could receive assistance through a federal bridge loan program. On Tuesday Sen. Tom Harkin announced that that Iowa will receive nearly $17.4 million from the Emergency Homeowners Loan …

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Government officials: Time to tackle debt

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and President Barack Obama both addressed the federal deficit yesterday.

Bernanke said adopting rules that limit federal spending or debt can help put the United States on a more sustainable …