The snow around the Capitol has all melted and the sun has been shining brightly on the dome. What great weather we have been having, who would believe it’s the middle of February? It really feels like spring is just around the corner.|(Press release from Linda Upmeyer)
The snow around the Capitol has all melted and the sun has been shining brightly on the dome. What great weather we have been having, who would believe it’s the middle of February? It really feels like spring is just around the corner.
While the weather has been beautiful, we’ve spent a lot of time inside the Capitol this week, doing the people’s work.
On Wednesday the Iowa House approved House File 194, a 20 percent income tax cut for all Iowans. It is the first reduction in income taxes since 1997. The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, will provide a much needed boost to the Iowa economy, including Iowa’s small business owners.
In North Iowa, we know that small businesses are the backbone of our economy. This bill will allow those employers to put Iowans back to work, inject millions of dollars into Iowa’s economy and get our state moving forward again.
According to the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, it’s estimated that more than 60 to 80 percent of Iowa businesses pay income taxes at the individual level. At the same time, the Tax Foundation has rated Iowa the 45th worst business tax climate in the country.
The government has overcharged Iowans and now it’s time to return the money to them, after all, Iowans know better than government how to spend their own money.
North Iowans sent me to Des Moines to cut taxes, shrink government and reduce spending and this bill does just that ñ it’s another priority crossed off our agenda.
We also passed another bipartisan bill this week, House File 260, which deals with Home Rule. Home Rule gives control back to our locally-elected school boards. Currently, our local schools are restricted as to what policies they can create. If state law does not address it, schools are not allowed to do it. Under Home Rule however, if the law does not address it, they can do it.
This legislation will give our school boards and school administrators an opportunity to be more flexible, creative and innovative in our schools.
Our locally-elected counties and cities are afforded Home Rule provisions, it’s only right that our schools are too. Additionally, 37 other states have some version of Home Rule.
Both of these bills now make their way to the Senate where they will hopefully be addressed.
I had quite a few visitors this week at the Capitol ñ it was a great way to spend my time. I visited with the Ag-Urban Leadership Initiative, Iowa’s Veterinarians, Prairie Energy from Clarion, Great Places and ABATE Iowa. I also spent much of Wednesday with a shadow ñ Katelyn Terhark from Corwith ñ who took part in Capitol Girls, where girls from across the state visit the Capitol to get a firsthand look at being a state legislator.
If you’re going to be in town and would like to visit the Capitol, please contact me at linda.upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us or (515) 281-4618.
