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Thursday, March 26, 2015
N/Warren Town and County News
Page Eleven
Senate News
By State Senator Julian B. Garrett
Julian.Garrett@legis.iowa.gov.
Revenue Estimate
Thursday, March 19, we received the Revenue Esti-
mating Conference estimate on revenues for fiscal 2015
and 2016. It looks like expenditures for the current fis-
cal year will exceed revenues by nearly $226 million.
Nearly half of that figure results from the bill that we
recently passed coupling state and federal tax law. This
greatly simplifies preparing of state income tax returns
and results in less state revenue. Much of the remaining
shortfall is because of increased Medicaid payments. I
voted against most of the budget bills last year because
I feared that the legislature was spending too much.
The Conference reduced its estimate for 2016 rev-
enues slightly. The Governor's proposed budget is now
about $165 million above expected revenues. We will
now be able to beginthe work on the 2016 and 2017
budgets in earnest. There will be those who will advo-
cate spending more than our expected revenue, mak-
ing up the difference from our dwindling surplus ac-
count from prior years. I have always advocated spend-
ing less than expected revenue.
Sentencing Juvenile Felons
The Senate passed Senate File 448, having to do with
sentencing of juveniles who commit felonies. Both the
U.S. Supreme Court and the Iowa Supreme Court have
ruled that juveniles who commit felonies, even first de-
gree murder, cannot be sentenced to life without the
possibility of parole as had been the law in many states
including Iowa. In effect we have had no laws on the
subject since our existing laws were declared unconsti-
tutional. I have been working on a legislative solution
to this issue since my days in the Iowa House. The Sen-
ate leaders were not willing to work with the House to
pass a bill. SF 448 provides for life sentences for juve-
niles who commit serious felonies, but the judge is given
discretion on the issue of eligibility for parole. It can
range from immediate eligibility to no eligibility de- Bills Passed
pending on the crime and a number of factors that the We passed close to 50 bills this week. Most were not
judge must consider. I would have preferred at least controversial.
some minimum sentence, but I thought this bill was bet- Upcoming Town Hall Meeting
ter than having no law. The parole board will decide I will be at the Farmers & Merchants Bank in
how long the juvenile serves within the sentence the Winterset, for a Legislative Forum, Saturda March 28,
judge imposes. Assuming that the House passes the bill, at 9 a.m., with Representative Gustafson. The public is
we will once again have laws governing the sentencing welcome and invited to ask questions or make com-
of juveniles who commit serious felonies, merits on whatever is on their mind.
As always, feel free to contact me with your ideas or
concerns at Julian.Garrett@legis.iowa.gov.
Beware of Phone Scam Targeting Des Moines Businesses
MidAmerican Energy Company is warning business owners and the public of a phone scam targeting utility
customers in the Des Moines area.
In general the scam works like this: Scammers, claiming to work for MidAmerican Energy call residential or
business customers demanding payment by threatening immediate service disconnection. The thief advises the
customer to make a payment in one of two ways: either immediately on the phone via credit card or with a
prepaid (Green Dot) card and calling back a special toll-free number, which often resembles MidAmerican Energy's
phone response system.
The criminals are often persistent and use sophisticated deceptive tactics that make it appear to Caller ID
systems that the scam call is coming from the utility when it is not.
MidAmerican Energy wants customers to be aware that this is an outright scam. MidAmerican Energy does
not use these methods. If such a call is received, customers should hang up and call 1-888-427-5632 to inquire
about the call.
Three points to help customers recognize a scam call:
1. The caller is threatening immediate disconnection. Sometimes the caller will claim a crew is already en
route to the business to disconnect service. Customers should hang up immediately and call MidAmerican En-
ergy. MidAmerican Energy makes several attempts to contact customers regarding overdue bills; disconnection is
a last resort, not a first step in the process.
2. The caller insists on a prepaid debit card (often a Green Dot card) as the only acceptable form of payment.
MidAmerican Energy accepts several different forms of payment; a company customer service representative can
go over these options with customers.
3. The caller asks for credit card numbers, account numbers, balances or other personal information.
MidAmerican Energy will not ask you for this information over the phone. Customers should never give out
personal information.
Warren County Meals on Wheels Program
Following is the meal plan for the month of April for those participating in the congregate meal site located in Martensdale and also for those who have home delivered
meals.
For more information, contact Vicki White, Program Manager, Warren County Nutrition, 515-961-1003. Phone number for the Martensdale meal site is 641-764-2736.
1 l 2 3
...... Liver &0nions i " spaghet-ti With t eat-Ba[is ........ c00k,s choice OR-: ........
" .... Mashed Potatoes & Gravy I ........ Lettuce Salad ........... Baked Fish Sandwich
................................... _ ,, ' Peas I Mandarin Oranges " 1 Zan_gy_ C0ieslaw "
........... - ....... RosyA .......... I ................ CheL r} ......... t .......... "Bak B-eans---- ....
...... i.-i ".. ........ " .... i ........... Oho-c01ate Chipi#,ar ......... J ............. Gariic Bread-Stick ....... -
............................................................................................................................I -[ .....
6 7 ..... 8 9 ..... 10
.......... Creame,dC i icken- -- ---RoastBeef ......................... burgerO-hi --- Terld-erTs---: ..................... RcastTur .........
........ -O-ve-r--IBiscui:ts ................. M-ashed--P--0-{ oes & .......... --Ca-rr0ts .............................. -Dutchess iseta:t0eS .......... eciSwe otatoes--
....... ....................... Brussels Sprout- --i ....................... lseac--- s ..................... -Green-- -ans-- .................... "-
........... Plums " : ..... Pears " " Tropical Fruit " " " Pineapple
Straww6e & ................. I ................ #I-&-M Co-o e .............. ((e#o-w Cake w/Frosting_ ....... Cher[ Crisp ..............
• 13 14
......... _Ch_ !cken Fried Steak
Mashed Potatoes
.... CinnEm-onl-.,, PPie.sau ...... "-i
l
_ ............ Ma_n._dar!n. ,0..ranges_ ..... :
15 16
.Tac0 Salad Salmon Loaf Cook;s Choice OR
Tortilla Chips Creamed Peas & Carrots & Sausage Bake
Salsa ,.. Parslied Potatoes Hashbrowns
Fiesta Corn ... "-(3range clgesi ..........Banana
Pears Spice Cake Orange Juice
Strawberries .....................................................................
21 22
Smothered Pork Chop
Sioppy Joeon]3un. ......
23
20
Oven Fried Chicken
"--F-
• Mashed Potatoes w/Gr_a_vE_ ' _ ._Broccoli Normandy Cheesy_ Texas Potatoes
- M x. e e_ g. ta-b/es-_ ......... Corn- ...................---Lima-Beans Aspar_agus ............
Fruit Cocktail Pineapple ............ Apricots ............. Mandarin Oranges
vanilla Pudding............. Bro i;................................ Pe s ............................. p I-i-e-sauna-r-
". 27 ................. 28 ....................... 29 30
17
......... DeliTurkey._Sandw_i.ch _
w/Lettuce & Tomato
--___.~_
Potato Salad
.Tropie,, Fru - ............
Peanut Butter Cookie
24
Beefy Noodles Chicken Tetrazzini ........... B-eefStew- .................... Ham--L.0af- ...............
Roasted Red Potatoes Green Beans Beets Mashed Potatoes
. ............. Peas ............................ Carrots .TroPical Fruit Broccoli
PineaPPle ............. Pears ......... Apple Crisp Dess-e- -. ........ ................ 'strawberries ........................
....................... !u_ms ........................Crackers Chocolate Cake
.............. i ........ : ......• ...........
Raisin Bread Pudding
Peaches
Green Beans
Bake( Tilapiai ............... iiP0t Roast-w/ .......
Carrots Roasted Vegetables
