Funding for education is expected to be an ongoing issue in the Iowa Legislature as bills are discussed and the budget is set for the coming year.

Both Reps. Jane Greimann, D-Ames, and Lisa Heddens, D-Ames, said they were concerned about the education budget and how a smaller budget will affect K-12 and college students.

Budget issues that need to be addressed affect many aspects of college education, including tuition, work-study and class sizes, Heddens said.

“There is a big concern that we’re downgrading the education in Iowa,” she said.

Iowa is known for its strong education, and the state does not want to lose that status, Heddens said. If the quality of education declines, people will not want to stay in or come to Iowa, she said.

One of Heddens’ biggest concerns was with K-12 education and the many sacrifices schools must make because of budget shortfalls.

“We need to focus on the kids and their needs and make sure the quality of their education is high,” she said.

Greimann said an important issue in the coming week will be the allowable gross amount given to schools. This is an extra amount of money not included in the state’s budget. The House and Senate passed a 2 percent allowable gross amount for the 2006 school year, but Vilsack vetoed the bill. Right now, the amount is up in the air, and Vilsack has said he wants a higher allowable gross amount.

“A lot of compromises will need to be made by both parties while working on this issue,” Greimann said.

A new bill focusing on election reform is another important issue to be discussed.

Greimann said the bill will make it easier for people to vote in elections. The bill calls for stamps to be sent along with absentee ballots, making it more convenient for people to send the ballots back. Postage for a ballot usually costs 70 cents, she said, which sometimes deters people from returning them.

Making absentee voting easier would be most convenient for college students, she said, because they most often use the absentee ballot process.