Ragan: I will continue to make the case for investing in Iowa’s future

From State Sen. Amanda Ragan –

The legislative session is going longer than scheduled. I hope it will wrap up soon, but we won’t gavel out until Iowa has a balanced state budget that keeps our commitments to students, working families and local communities on education, job creation and economic growth.

A recent Sioux City Journal editorial stated: “Voters sent representatives and senators (Republicans and Democrats) to Des Moines to do a job. Arguably, the most important job for our legislators is passage of a budget (a budget for the full fiscal year) before they gavel their session to a close. Iowans expect nothing less.”

I agree 100 percent!!! That’s why I will continue to make the case for investing in Iowa’s future while being fiscally responsible. Our state’s economy has rebounded from the national recession stronger and quicker than most states. The state budget is in good shape, thanks to sound bipartisan management.

The state of Iowa is expected to have a budget surplus of about $258 million on June 30, the end of the current budget year. In addition, we have $617.1 million in our reserve funds, the largest amount in state history. On top of that, we’re putting an additional $60 million into the newly created Taxpayer Trust Fund.

In short, there is no reason for any legislator to give up and go home without making the tough decisions they were sent to the Statehouse to make.

As we near adjournment of the 2012 session, there are a handful of important issues to be resolved. They include:

• An increase in our state’s investment in education at the local level, at our community colleges and at our state universities. The Senate blocked demands to close preschools, eliminate support for smaller class sizes and extra help for kids learning to read, cut community college funding and force more of the cost of college onto the backs of families.

• A significant cut in commercial property taxes that reduces taxes on every commercial property in Iowa. We need to help small businesses the most and does not shift taxes onto residential property.

• A tax cut for working families—one that will also help local businesses when families purchase milk, gas and school clothes, make car repairs and pay bills.

What else still needs to be done? Legislation that will help create jobs and strengthen our economy tops my list. Many ideas passed the Senate with bipartisan support but weren’t taken up in the House. These ideas—developed by working closely with local business and community leaders—need to be given another look:

• Giving Iowa’s community colleges more tools to help fix our state’s shortage of skilled workers.

• Intensifying efforts to make sure state and local tax dollars buy American and buy Iowan.

• Reducing costs for 60,000 Iowa small businesses with a state tax credit on employee health insurance costs.

• Providing consumer rebates to create jobs on solar and wind projects at residences and businesses.