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Iowa Legislature adjourns 3 weeks into overtime

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May 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has adjourned a session in which lawmakers took on some big issues but emerged with little legislation. It took an additional three weeks past the scheduled adjournment before lawmakers agreed on the state’s $6.2 billion budget and adjourned Wednesday. The state will end the year with a large ending balance. That reflects an improving economy, which has boosted tax revenue, and a Republican desire to spend less than the state receives in tax revenue. The state also will have hundreds of millions of dollars in reserve. Gov. Terry Branstad called for bold education reform but got an unfunded policy bill. Lawmakers failed once again to find compromise on his property tax reform proposal despite trying up to the final hour.