Vander Plaats: Culver’s Layoff Plan “Reckless, Irresponsible and Unconscionable”

DES MOINES – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats issued the following statement in response to Gov. Chet Culver’s layoff of 515 employees in the Iowa Department of Corrections and a total of 792 layoffs across state government today:

“Governor Culver’s actions are reckless, irresponsible and unconscionable. After he has bankrupted state government, he comes out today, puffs up his chest and claims he’s making tough decisions and exercising leadership. Today’s move is a direct reflection of his lack of leadership. If he had done the right thing in the past two years by holding the line on state spending, especially in the face of a worsening economy, he would have avoided today’s situation.

“He has increased the number of state bureaucrats by more than 2,500 over the past two years and now that he’s spent the state broke he takes a meat cleaver to essential services and front-line personnel responsible for protecting Iowans. Laying off 515 Department of Corrections employees and leaving another 262 position vacant in our prisons and laying off 53 Department of Public Safety employees while leaving another 25 positions open is putting the lives of our public employees on the line and putting our citizens at risk. Laying off front-line Department of Human Services employees will also make it harder for the workers who remain to protect children. I’m concerned we will again see tragedies like the Shelby Duis case, which will result from Chet Culver’s lack of decision-making skill rather than a lack of resources.

“This certainly has to be considered one of the darkest days in state government history because we’re witnessing a governor who has completely lost the ability, if he ever had it in the first place, to make rational decisions about personnel, services and the state budget. These cuts should not stand. He needs to bring the General Assembly back into session and learn how to set real priorities.”

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Vander Plaats: Impact on Public Safety Proves Culver’s Across-the-Board Budget Cuts Aren’t Leadership

DES MOINES – The devastating impact of Gov. Chet Culver’s across-the-board budget cut on public safety puts law enforcement personnel at greater risk and proves “all spending cuts aren’t equal but his failed leadership is now undeniable,” Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats said today.

“The consequences on Chet Culver’ fiscal mismanagement have been building for months. He’s waited and waited and waited to take action while publicly saying he hoped things would get better. That procrastination and lack of leadership have made a bad situation worse. Hitting the Department of Public Safety with a massive budget cut likely to result in law enforcement personnel being laid off is about as bad is it can get,” Vander Plaats said.

Public Safety Commissioner Gene Meyer said Tuesday that one option for dealing with Culver’s mandated 10-percent cut is to lay off approximately 100 sworn officers and civilians and to require all employees to take 13 unpaid furlough days. Without the furloughs, Meyer said 169 officers and civilians would need to be laid off if furloughs aren’t possible.

“Whichever way the department is forced to deal with the situation, there’s no doubt that more trooper positions will be left open through retirements and other moves because Chet Culver didn’t set the right priorities. Our troopers are already stretched thin and are in life-threatening situations every day. There’s no other way to say it: Chet Culver’s budget mismanagement will endanger the lives of the very people we count on to protect us. It’s also bound to lengthen response times to accidents and other emergencies and that will endanger citizens’ lives, too.”

Vander Plaats has urged Culver since June to work with legislators to reduce the impact on essential services by cutting back on other state spending.

“I’ve said it before: I don’t mean any disrespect to my 12-year-old son, but he could make an across-the-board cut. It doesn’t take a lot of thought to do one. Unfortunately, that’s all this governor seems capable of doing,” Vander Plaats said. “Iowa desperately needs a governor with the courage to address our problems head on. We need a governor who will work with legislators, state agencies and the public to rein in spending and focus our limited resources so we’re not putting lives in danger because our public safety budget gets the same treatment as every other project out there.”

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Napoleon’s Tailor, Iconic Clothier for Short Men, to Close Chicago Store

Napoleon’s Tailor, a Milwaukee-based clothier with a national reputation for catering exclusively to men who are five-foot-eight and shorter, will close its Chicago location with a going-out-of-business sale that begins next week, its owner said today.

“It’s a tough decision. It’s not one I made lightly,” Gary Anders said.

Anders cited several industry trends and the prolonged economic slump as reasons for the decision to close the store that has been featured on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, on the CBS national news and by Reuters news service. He emphasized that Napoleon’s Tailor in Milwaukee will remain open.

“We’re one of only four clothiers in the entire United States to serve shorter men even though 30 percent of men are five-foot-eight or under. There should be far more stores of like Napoleon’s Tailor but fashion habits and the clothing industry’s move overseas have worked against us as time has passed,” Anders explained. “The men’s clothing industry has been shrinking ever since Levi’s introduced casual Fridays. Unfortunately, it’s gotten to the point where many men think they’re dressing up when they wear khakis and a polo shirt.”

He added that moving apparel production off-shore has had serious consequences for specialty stores like Napoleon’s Tailor.

“Fifteen years ago when I entered the business, there were many apparel makers in the United States and Canada. They were willing to make production runs to meet our needs because they had excess capacity and they were geared to smaller production cycles,” Anders said. “Today, when we’re talking to factories in China, Pakistan, India or other places, they’re geared to very high volume. We simply don’t do that volume and so we can’t get items in the quality and variety that we require. So, we’re being squeezed from both the supply and demand sides.”

Anders said he hopes some Chicago-area customers will become patrons of his Milwaukee store or shop online via its website, www.napoleonstailor.com.

Anders said the store will host a sale for long-time customers on Oct. 14 before the sale for the general public begins on Oct. 15. Store hours will be expanded to 9 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5:00 p.m. Sundays. The store will only remain open until its inventory is sold out.

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Ratliff, Des Moines Pastor and President of Iowa/Nebraska NAACP Conference, to Co-Chair Vander Plaats Campaign

DES MOINES – The Reverend Keith A. Ratliff Sr., pastor of the Maple Street Missionary Baptist Church and president of the Iowa/Nebraska Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, today announced his support for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats and will serve as one of the campaign’s co-chairs.

Speaking at a morning news conference at the Statehouse, Ratliff noted that his support for Vander Plaats is “an individual decision based on Bob’s commitment to improving our educational system, economic opportunities for all Iowans and ensuring that our criminal justice system is equal to all.”

He added, “I know that Bob Vander Plaats is not afraid to stand up for what is right. That takes courage. He has what it takes to be a fiscally responsible governor who gets Iowa’s financial house back in order, but there is so much more work to be done,” Ratliff said. “I’ve heard Bob talk about economic empowerment for all Iowans. He’s talked about reviewing our criminal justice system. He’s talked about getting more results from government with less money. He’s talked about the importance of defending the institution of marriage. And, most importantly, he won’t just talk about those things he’ll do something about them. That takes backbone and determination. That’s what I want in my governor – and that’s why I’m standing here today to show my support for him.”

Ratliff, who has been in the ministry 31 years and pastored 29 years, is involved in numerous social and community causes. He is the state historian for the Iowa Missionary and Educational Baptist State Convention and Affiliated Churches. His church opened Joshua Christian Academy this fall to provide parents and students with the option of Christ-centered education in Des Moines’ inner city.

Ratliff also is a national board member with the NAACP, which is the nation’s oldest and most respected civil rights organization. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Simpson College in History/Education and earned his master’s degree from Drake University in religious leadership. He recently retired as a senior engineering analyst at John Deere Des Moines Works, where he has worked for 33 years.

Ratliff and wife Deborah have been married for 31 years and have five children. He has been the recipient of numerous honors for his community service, including the Des Moines Area Religious Council Interfaith Service Award, Fraternity Omega’s Citizen of the Year Award, Des Moines Human Rights Commission Award, Black Ministerial Alliance Community Service Award and induction into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame in December, 2003. The City of Des Moines proclaimed April 17, 1994 as “Rev. Keith A. Ratliff, Sr. Day” and he was awarded the Key to the City of Des Moines.

“I’ve been honored to know Reverend Ratliff and impressed by his years of dedication to serving others. He’s a rock who is the foundation upon which so many others have built a solid future,” Vander Plaats said. “He makes a difference in people’s lives every day. He makes his city and our state a better place each and every day. I’m truly humbled by his support and his confidence in me.”

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Vander Plaats Statement in Response to Culver’s Across-the-Board Budget Cut

DES MOINES – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats issued the following statement in response to Gov. Chet Culver’s 10-percent, across-the-board budget cut announced this afternoon:

“When I was growing up in Sheldon, my Dad always used to say to me, ‘Don’t start something you can’t finish.’ He said that because he knew it was especially important that you don’t let people down when you make a promise to them. Chet Culver started a lot of things with the state budget he signed that he just can’t finish. It’s not the result of the national economy; it’s the result of his failure to contain spending even as he was being warned the recession was going to hit Iowa hard. As a result, a lot of people are going to be hurt. State employees are going to pay a high price for his fiscal irresponsibility. Iowans who were counting on state services because of the promises inherent in the budget he signed into law are going to feel a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering. And, property tax payers are going to feel the impact of this action, too.

“Chet Culver once again has proven that his procrastinating when it comes to taking on problems has only made them worse and worse. The idea that the Department of Corrections, for instance, must make a $40-million reduction three months into the fiscal year really means the cuts are deeper than 10 percent.

“If I had been governor I would never have approved the exorbitant spending increases over the past few years that got us into this trouble. I would’ve exercised foresight and caution rather than increasing the state budget roughly 18 percent in the past few budget cycles at the same time Iowa families and businesses were being forced to cut their own budgets.

“Finally, it doesn’t require a lot of leadership to make an across-the-board cut. It’s an easy way out. It says outdated and ineffective programs are just as important as public safety, human services and education. Going forward, Governor Culver should be working closely with legislators from both sides of the aisle to prioritize spending and budget cuts. The time of a crisis is where effective leadership matters most. Unfortunately, Chet Culver has already failed the test.”

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Dutcher: My Background Would Benefit Waukee’s Effort to Broaden Commercial Tax Base

WAUKEE – Citing the community’s efforts to attract more retailers and employers to broaden its commercial tax base and meet residents’ needs, City Council candidate Dan Dutcher said Wednesday night that his experience would fill a much-needed role.

“I think the current council certainly has done a commendable job building the infrastructure to attract more businesses,” Dutcher said during a forum with four of the five other candidates seek three seats up for election on Nov. 3. “I know how developers think. I know how developers put a master plan together. That’s an aspect maybe the current council doesn’t have. I have the experience and I think it would be a real benefit to the council.”

Dutcher, a long-time Waukee resident, has an extensive business background that includes managing the construction of the 801 Grand Building in Des Moines and working with city officials in the communities that surround Waukee. He said he’d make the most of those working relationships to help expand recreational opportunities and advance economic development initiatives.

“My number-one priority project is getting the Alice’s Road interchange in because the number-one criterion for businesses I’ve worked with in the past is access. If their employees can’t get in and out of Waukee (via access to Interstate 80, business expansion) just need going to happen,” said Dutcher, who has served on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission for four years.

He added, “I’m really in favor of expanding our recreational facilities – baseball and softball fields, soccer fields, recreational trails. I favor a joint agreement with other communities for an aquatic center. Aquatic centers are expensive to build and expensive to maintain for a short season.”

Dutcher also said he is committed to continuing the city’s investment is public safety and needed infrastructure while extending its 10-year string of no property tax increases.

Dutcher, who has earned designation as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accredited professional, has been a driving force behind the city’s Green Initiatives Committee promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable buildings, services and practices. He said his expertise would be especially helpful on the council as the city moves forward with projects such as a proposed renovation of the old elementary school into city offices. “I’m so passionate (about sustainability) because the life of a city building could be 40 or 50 years and if we put the money into it upfront we could save money over the life of the building,” he said.

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Vander Plaats: Culver’s ‘Trail of Fiscal Mismanagement Cuts a Wide Swath Across Iowa State Government’

DES MOINES – Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats issued the following statement concerning new revelations that a federal audit has found $2.5 million in questionable spending during Gov. Chet Culver’s tenure as Iowa Secretary of State as well as the opening of a criminal investigation into the growing scandal surrounding Iowa Film Office tax incentives:

“Every day we learn something new about Chet Culver’s complete and utter inability to manage taxpayer dollars. In that light, today’s news reports that the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office may have misspent $2.5 million of $30 million shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Yet, Iowans are stunned by the magnitude of the budget problems this governor has created. He’s a hurricane of fiscal mismanagement that has cut a wide swath across Iowa state government.

“I’m tempted to paraphrase the late Everett Dirksen and say, ‘A million here, a million there, pretty soon, you’re talking about real money.’ But in Chet Culver’s case, Dirksen’s actual quote may be more appropriate, ‘A billion here, a billion there, pretty soon, you’re talking about real money.’ That’s because his overspending has created a projected budget shortfall this fiscal year of more than $900 million and at the rate he’s going will take us over $1 billion in no time.

“We need a governor with the determination and ability to rein in state spending. That’s what I’ll do when I’m elected. It’s great that the governor chose to fire people after the Iowa Film Office and Iowa Department of Economic Development approved what could be millions in questionable expenses but the smarter thing would have been to never let the situation happen in the first place. It’s a point I’ve made time and again: Effective leaders surround themselves with effective team members. Chet Culver clearly doesn’t get it.”

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Art Imig’s, Clothiers Since 1909 to Celebrate 100-Year Anniversary with Once-in-a-Century Sale

KOHLER, Wisconsin – Art Imig’s, the premier men’s clothier in the Sheboygan area, today announced a once-in-a-century retail event to mark its 100-year anniversary.

“It’s quite rare, especially these days, for a company to celebrate 100 years in business,” said company president Art Imig. “When a retailer reaches that milestone it’s the result of a great relationship involving stellar customer service and extraordinary customer loyalty. We’ve been blessed with the latter because four generations of Imigs and our colleagues have been so committed to the former.”

Art Imig said the store, located at 795D Woodlake Road in Kohler, will be closed Sunday through Tuesday as its staff reduces prices 20 percent to 60 percent on its entire clothing inventory and prepares for the once-in-a-century event. Men’s suits including Hart Schaffner & Marx, Austin Reed, Joseph Abboud, Robert Talbott, St. Croix and other name brands regularly up to $1,025 will be on sale from $199 to $799. Sport coats that regularly retail for up to $825 will be on sale for $149 to $399.

Sale hours for the store, will be 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

Company Vice President Bob Imig noted a key component of enduring customer satisfaction has been the store’s commitment to quality merchandise that includes the top brand names in men’s apparel.

“Just as one generation after the next of our family has grown up in the business, we’ve had the honor and pleasure of serving one generation after the next of Sheboygan’s men – and we look forward to another 100 years and more of serving future generations,” Bob Imig said. “Our 100th anniversary is a real cause for celebration and it’s a great occasion to thank the people who made it possible through their loyal support – our customers.”

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Peard Offers McGee Another Debate After Challenger Ducks Traditional Chamber of Commerce Forum

WAUKEE – In response to his challenger’s refusal to attend the Waukee Chamber of Commerce-sponsored forum, Mayor Bill Peard today offer Isaiah McGee another opportunity to appear jointly before voters to discuss the city’s future direction.

Peard noted that he agreed to appear at the chamber’s event, set for Wednesday, Oct. 7, and continues to believe that forum is the most appropriate venue for candidates to state their case to voters. McGee, who announced his candidacy in May, told a Chamber official in mid-September that he could not prepare for debate by Oct. 7 and that the date “did not fit into his strategic plan.” He declined the chamber invitation, saying he could not reschedule the meeting of a group that he currently heads.

“Seven of the eight invited candidates – all six council candidates and I – accepted the Chamber’s invitation. I’m sure I’m not the only one who changed his schedule to make sure we’ll be there. Only my challenger refused to attend because he continues to claim he has a scheduling conflict so we’ll give him another chance,” Peard said. “My campaign staff has even contacted the Chamber forum moderator to check on his availability so Mr. McGee knows a follow-up forum will be as close to the traditional event as possible.”

Peard added, “I want every voter in Waukee to know that I accepted the chamber’s invitation to appear with my opponent on Oct. 7. I’m proud of my record of leading one of Iowa’s most-dynamic communities and achieving remarkable progress without a single property tax increase during the past 10 years. It’s sad that one candidate thinks a different set of rules should apply to him, but if that’s the case, I’d be more than willing to debate Mr. McGee at a different time and place. The stakes are high for Waukee the next two years. The city needs proven, trusted leadership capable of answering a challenge at a moment’s notice to keep moving ahead. Clearly, only one candidate in this race has that capability.”

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The Limits of Charisma

Howard Fineman has an extraordinarily perceptive analysis of President Obama’s heretofore triumph of style over substance — and pitfalls ahead, including the growing possibility of a one-term presidency.

As Fineman writes in the Oct. 5 issue of Newsweek, “If ubiquity were the measure of a presidency, Barack Obama would already be grinning at us from Mount Rushmore. But of course it is not. Despite his many words and television appearances, our elegant and eloquent president remains more an emblem of change than an agent of it. He’s a man with an endless, worthy to-do list—health care, climate change, bank reform, global capital regulation, AfPak, the Middle East, you name it—but, as yet, no boxes checked “done.” This is a problem that style will not fix. Unless Obama learns to rely less on charm, rhetoric, and good intentions and more on picking his spots and winning in political combat, he’s not going to be reelected, let alone enshrined in South Dakota.” To read the complete article, click here.