Lost, not found

A few opening day notes: Cedar Rapids Mayor Kay Halloran, a former state legislator, is at the statehouse today.  She gave two radio reporters an interview shortly before noon to talk about lobbying for her flood-striken town — and told us she'd lost her car keys.  If you're at the statehouse and find a set of keys…

The first committee to meet in the Iowa Senate this year was the Ways and Means Committee – the panel that drafts tax policy. As I was walking across the senate floor to track down the committee chairman, I passed by a certain senate leader who ribbed me for noting the first committee to meet in '09 is the tax-writing committee. 

Lobbyists hang out in the rotunda, catching legislators as they exit the house and senate floor.  Lobbyists now have four new items in their working environment — four tall tables.  It has prompted lots of jokes about waiting for the waiter/waitress to come by for their drink orders.