Ragan Report

By: 
Amanda Ragan

Working for you in 2016
     With the 2016 legislative session under way, I remain committed to my constituents in Butler, Cerro Gordo and Franklin counties. My primary job is listening to you and to ensuring the state honors its commitments to Iowa families.
     These commitments include:
    -  Standing up for workers and investing in skills training and job creation.
     -  Creating more educational opportunities from preschool through college.
    -  Supporting Main Street over Wall Street when investing Iowa’s resources.
    -  Maintaining high-quality health care and mental health services.

     Working in a bipartisan way, we can achieve our goals by:
   -  Continuing to balance the state budget in a fiscally responsible way. Because of our efforts, Iowa has a surplus and more than $700 million in our reserve funds, the largest amount in state history.

     -  Expanding education and training that prepares Iowans to fill jobs—those that are currently available and the ones we want to attract. Affordable college tuition, job training, apprenticeships, high school completion, skills certification will put more Iowans on the path to good jobs. 

     -  Boosting student achievement and teacher quality in our schools. Several lean years for K-12 funding have forced educators to do more with less. By giving our schools the strong investment they deserve, we can continue Iowa’s winning approach to preparing students for college and career. 

    -  Ensuring Iowans have access to high-quality, affordable health care. The Branstad-Reynolds Administration has made drastic changes to the health care of Iowa’s most vulnerable citizens over the last year through privatization of Iowa Medicaid and the closure of metal health institutes. We must minimize the harm to Iowa families and health care providers.

    -  Improving Iowa's infrastructure, economy and job creation through incentives and programs that work with local businesses on technology, marketing and entrepreneurship.

     -  Making quality of life a priority through investments in our environment, arts and culture, and recreational opportunities.

     Focusing on these priorities in 2016, we can improve Iowa’s economy and help more families join the middle class.
     Please stay in touch throughout the session. If you have ideas or concerns you’d like to share, call me at the Statehouse (515-281-3371) or at home (641-424-0874). You can also e-mail me at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.
     At www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/ragan, you can sign up for my newsletter, connect with me on social media, find out about my upcoming forums and see my latest photos.

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