The effect of the nearly equal split in political control over the Iowa Legislature remains unknown ahead of the 2005 session, which begins Monday.

In the previous legislative session, Republicans controlled both the Iowa House and Senate by eight and six seats, respectively. After the 2004 general election, the Senate is evenly divided, and the House is Republican-controlled by only a two-seat margin.

“I think the closeness of the split will probably, in this instance, result in some compromise and a very productive session in the Legislature this year,” said James McCormick, professor and chairman of political science. “They could have a stalemate, obviously, but I think both parties and the governor have committed themselves to not do that.”

Jane Greimann, former Democratic legislator from Ames, said she is optimistic about the anticipated cooperation between the two parties this year.

“They should have gotten that message from the people,” Greimann said.

“I hope they have.”

Greimann said committee work on the Grow Iowa Values Fund is likely to get started right away.

“With the Senate being more evenly divided, the Values Fund has a much better chance of success this year,” Greimann said.

Of the upcoming issues to be discussed by the Legislature, Greimann said funding for Medicaid and the regent universities should receive some priority.

“Usually [higher education funding] doesn’t come up as fast as I want it to,” Greimann said. “In the past, they seem to put that decision off.”

In September, the Board of Regents approved a plan to work cooperatively with the Iowa Legislature to increase state funding to Iowa State, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa by $40 million.

Legislators were hesitant to jump on board last year because of budget shortfalls that have occurred in the past.

State funding for regent universities has decreased by more than $100 million since the 2001 fiscal year.

Matthew Potoski, assistant professor of political science, said it’s hard to say for sure how the divided Legislature will act this session.

“Similar circumstances happened in Indiana a few years ago,” Potoski said.

“It really slowed things down, and it took them awhile to come up with their operating arrangements.”

Potoski also said the lack of a rush to increase higher education funding should not be seen as a deliberate delay.

“They don’t really decide anything sooner unless they have to, but that doesn’t mean that they are delaying,” Potoski said. “It just means that a lot of these things are interrelated and they’re striking deals.”

An increase in Democratic legislative seats in Iowa was not an isolated incident.

Democrats gained more than 60 seats across the country, reversing the Republican majority gained in 2002.

Nationally, Democrats occupy 3,658 seats, two more than Republicans, but two undecided races could yield a tie.