Chronicle Editorial

Dialing up diversity
 
Monday’s seminar on diversity provided yet another in-depth look at our community’s ever changing demographics. Featured was Dr. Mark Grey, a celebrated professor and director of the Iowa Center for Immigrant Leadership and Integration. Grey’s lecture hit on a list of talking points that detailed the challenges and positives new immigrant populations bring to rural communities like Franklin County.
     The seminar was the third sponsored by a contingency of local organizations. Though each session had its own message, one predominant theme was clear: diversity is a positive thing, and embracing new segments of the population will strengthen relationships within the community while fostering long-term growth.
     Grey, a professor of anthropology, described a phenomenon that occurs among communities experiencing growth in their immigrant population he called the “20-60-20 spectrum.” Twenty percent of current residents welcome new immigrants, 60 percent have reservations or questions about the change, and 20 percent want them to leave. It’s an interesting take and one that holds water. Rural communities can be adverse to change, and that applies to changing demographics.
     However, it underscores the need to engage one another and ask questions. Language barriers can be difficult to overcome, but it still takes an effort by everyone to help new residents integrate into the community. Grey stressed that it takes time and extreme patience, but most of the communities that have made an effort are happy they took that approach.
     America has recently seen what can happen in communities that remain divided by issues of race and ethnicity. Those situations were born out of extreme circumstances, but they have given the entire nation a chance to reflect on engrained differences that create wedges within some communities. It’s important to foster change, reach out and try to bridge gaps for future growth. Doing so has the chance to build a stronger community with a vibrantly diverse population. Communities are constantly evolving, and we should all work together instead of dividing ourselves based on cultural differences or other misunderstandings.
 
Budget battle enters zero hour
 
     The Iowa Legislature’s drawn out fight over next year’s budget entered the closing stages on Monday. It’s the final regularly scheduled week of the 2015 General Assembly, but the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-led Senate still remain divided on a few contentious issues that could extend this year’s session.
      2015 has seen a whirlwind of success stories and failures. The Legislature passed a much-need gas tax increase, it’s discussed legalizing fireworks and medicinal marijuana, and also debated significant changes to mental health care. Supplement state aid for K-12 education has become hot political fodder for both Republicans and Democrats, and it seems this issue could be the one that extends this year’s session beyond May 1.
     Compromise doesn’t always mean meeting in the middle. Politics is a give-and-take business and it’s important our legislators keep that in mind as the end nears. The battle over things like state supplement aid has reached a boiling point and it needs to end sooner than later.
     Here’s to hoping the time crunch breeds a bit of compromise between the House and Senate. It’s been a contentious session, and Iowans deserve a sound budget that spends responsibly while funding our needs. It’s clear nobody is going to get everything they want this year. However, it’s time to end the political jockeying and move on with a budget.