City officials are concerned about legislation pending in the State Senate that would investigate local governments’ ability to operate independently from the state.

This senate file is among several controversial issues before the state Legislature – including Medicaid, the bottle bill and the state budget – discussed by state, county and city officials Saturday morning at the first “Legislative Wake-up” session.

About 30 members of the Ames community attended the session, which took place Saturday morning at the Ames City Council Chambers.

Rep. Jane Greimann, D-Ames, Sen. Johnie Hammond, D-Ames, and Rep. Barbara Finch, R-Ames, joined the local panel of Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco and Story County Supervisor Wayne Clinton.

Tedesco expressed concern about the power of the state to place tax limitation bills on Ames. The limitation would reduce the ability of the city to levy taxes, perpetuating the budget shortfalls, he said.

“City governments, too, have their budget problems,” Tedesco said.

Hammond opened her presentation with her concerns over the budget problems in the state.

“It controls everything we think about, but we’re not doing anything about it,” she said.

The lack of budget meetings at the state capitol is a concern, Hammond said. By this time of the year, she said she usually spends three hours a day working on the budget, while this year very little has been done.

The bottle bill, which pits recycling interests against food-safety concerns, is another recurring issue for both state and city leaders.

Greimann said the bottle bill is what she hears most about, even in the midst of statewide budget problems.

“The grocery industry is exploiting fears of the public after the anthrax scare,” she said. “Only 50 percent of residents across the state have access to curbside recycling so it is not a viable financial alternative at this time.”

The session will be rebroadcast on Channel 17 at 1 p.m. on Jan. 28, 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, and 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 1.

The next Legislative Wake-up session will be Saturday, March 2 at the Ames City Council Chambers, from 8:15 to 9:45 a.m.

A reaction panel representing the Ames School Board, community colleges and Iowa State University will discuss education issues, said Betty Baird of the League of Women Voters.