The 2017 Iowa legislative session begins today at the capitol building in Des Moines.

Senator Jerry Behn says it’s been 18 years since the Republican party has had control of both the Senate and House, along with the Governor’s office. He reflects back to when he first started as a senator in 1996.

“We were able to pass the ten percent across the board Iowa income tax cut. That was the first time in years that that tax cut changed. We were able to implement some rules and regulatory reform issues. It was a great time.”

Representative Baltimore is also excited for the control that the Republican party has in government.

“I think the temptation is pull up the last six years of stuff that the House Republicans did and pass it all and throw it all over to the Senate. I think we’re trying to be more disciplined and focused than that and trying to figure out the big things that we would like to accomplish. Let’s get as early of an agreement between the Senate, the House and the Governor’s office on those items as we can. Get them passed and enacted and move onto the next one.”

We will be speaking with both Behn and Baltimore throughout the legislative session on Monday’s with the Community State Bank in Paton Let’s Talk Greene County program.