Statement by Senator Joe Bolkcom, Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee:
“This July, when Governor Branstad vetoed the $56 million, one-time funding compromise for Iowa’s local students, he claimed Iowa couldn’t afford it.
“This July, when Governor Branstad vetoed $2.5 million in one-time funding for Iowa’s community colleges, after failing to provide any increase in on-going funding, he claimed Iowa couldn’t afford it.
“This spring, when he failed to continue the Iowa student tuition freeze helping make college more affordable, he claimed Iowa couldn’t afford it.
Today, however, after large corporations lobbied him for a $37 million, on-going tax cut that legislators had rejected, Governor Branstad says Iowa can afford it. Furthermore, he says he doesn’t need the Legislature’s approval to do it.
“The agenda for the October 13 meeting of the Administrative Rules Review Committee reveals that the Branstad-Reynolds Administration is proposing a rule change to exempt consumable supplies used in manufacturing from the Iowa sales tax. If the Branstad-Reynolds Administration does not withdraw this rule, it will take effect on January 1, 2016, even though this $37 million annual tax cut has never been approved by the Iowa Legislature.
“This rule would change more than 15 years of existing policy.
“I believe it is illegal for the Branstad Administration to use the rule making process to create a massive corporate tax giveaway without approval by the Legislature.
“I believe such a substantial change in tax policy must first be approved by the Legislature. Two years ago, the Branstad-Reynolds Administration agreed with me. That’s why the Administration drafted SSB 1242 in 2013 for the consideration of the Senate Ways and Means Committee. It failed to advance out of committee. It is outrageous that after acknowledging two years ago that this change required legislative action, the Governor and Lt. Governor are now attempting to get it done by bypassing the 150 members of the House and Senate.
“Governor Branstad is skilled at getting what he wants. Unfortunately, what he wants is to give millions to large corporations and pay for it by vetoing investments in education.”
That’s the Republican way. Can’t you feel the wealth trickling down?
The Gov. is on a fast track to build his legacy as he nears the end of his public service. Word has it that his disease is progressing to the point that his medical issues will prompt him to step down gracefully. This is only the beginning of the end.
Screw the average person but reward the CEO’s. This is politics in America today. Vote for Bernie in 2016. The only candidate actually campaigning for the people.
So, You want to vote for the communist whose only campaign is free giveaways. Free education, more food stamps, free health care, free everything except for the people who have to pay for it. I suspected you were a fool.
He isn’t a communist LVS. His ideology is more slanted towards socialism. The fact remains, however, that Governor Bully will do what he wants to do regardless of what the people really want. I find it quite amusing that part of this governor’s agenda is to stamp out bullying in schools yet he is a master at bullying people to get what he wants.
@Bodacious-Now that the above has been said I do not mind telling you that I totally disagree with Branstad on this. He could have given the one time funding to the college and funded several other projects and still given the taxpayers a tax break. He could have given 15 million to reduce taxes and everyone would have had something. I disagree wit giving business and free tax money. They never give back to the working man. I feel the same way about rich farmers and subsidizing them with out tax money. They never give us a break on food prices.
It would be interesting to see how these corporations are going to use this windfall. Will it be used to create new jobs? Or will it be used to update and refurbish the company headquarters? I vote #2.
@Bodacious-I vote with you.
Bodacious-I know the governor has already given Hy-Vee 7.5 million to help add onto their corporate headquarters in West Des Moines so I vote #2 also. Hy-Vee, a 7 billion dollar company, is so greedy they are asking the City of West Des Moines to give them more tax breaks on top of what the governor has already given them. Oh and a former HV executive was his campaign manager and several other HV executives were on his reelection committee, think this might be a pay pack to HV??
And yet you scoff at Bernie Sanders, who is running on a platform against this very thing. You just don’t get it, as evidenced by your incorrect use of the word communism. Socialist is more accurate but what Bernie Sander is really is a populist. Google that before you start calling names and spewing misinformation. Free education for the people is better than freebies for wealthiest 1%.