The following is a legislative update from Democratic State Rep. Todd Prichard of Charles City, representing portions of Cerro Gordo, Floyd and Chickasaw counties in Iowa House District 52:
Not More Tax Breaks for Big Corporations
Democrats are committed to ensuring every kid in Iowa gets a quality education.
On Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers unveiled a proposal to invest another $300 million in k-12 public schools next year.
The new investment in our kids will reduce class sizes, raise pay for teachers, and put new books in the classroom.
It will also give schools the tools they need to keep good teachers in the classroom. Especially now, schools need adequate resources to address a workforce shortage, and to keep kids and staff safe during a pandemic.
In response, the Governor held a press conference on Wednesday to push her plan for another $300 million tax cut to major corporations. Democratic lawmakers believe that $300 million should be invested in students in public schools instead.
Over the last decade, lawmakers in the Majority Party have not adequately funded education and it has led to the closure of 134 public schools. According to the National Education Association, Iowa ranks 39th out of 50 in the increase in public school funding per student. The US Census bureau puts Iowa at $1,280 below the national average in funding per student.
We can do better, and we should place our kids at greater importance than corporations.
Iowa to Remain a Leader in Renewable Fuels
Iowa’s strong agricultural and manufacturing heritage has made us a world leader in renewable energy like wind, solar, ethanol, and biodiesel. It has created tens of thousands of jobs and pumped billions into our economy.
This week, the House passed a bill to expand the use of renewable fuels in the state. It establishes a new renewable fuel standard for service stations in the state to encourage expanded availability of renewable fuels and ensure that ethanol blended gasoline of at least 15 percent, often referred to as E-15, is available at more locations around the state.
HF 2128 also expands current tax credits for renewable fuels including:
- Extending the current E-85 promotion tax credit, a credit for retailers that sell E-85 gas, is extended for three years.
- The Biodiesel Blended Tax Credit increases the requirement for qualifying for the credit from retailing at least B-11 instead of the current B-5, and extends the credit for 3 years.
- And the E-15 Plus Gasoline Promotion Tax Credit, a credit for retailers that sell blended gas that is at least E-15, is extended for a year.
- Sales tax incentives for retailing renewable fuels are also extended, including doubling the tax credit for biodiesel producers.
The bill requires vehicles purchased by the state to use the highest possible percentage of renewable fuel, and applies only to vehicles and using fuels when available. The vehicles will also have brightly colored, highly visible stickers indicating their use of renewable fuels.
Increasing Access to Mental Health Care Services
Currently, 57 percent of Iowans are living in a mental health professional shortage area and many have to wait months before being able to access any services. Iowa is ranked 45th in the nation for the number of psychiatrists per capita. Several bills are moving through the legislative process that work to address much needed access to mental health care services.
And to make matters worse, the pandemic has not helped access issues. According to the University of Iowa, in pre-pandemic times about 10 percent of patients who visited their emergency rooms needed psychiatric care. Now, that number has increased to 30 percent.
The following bills are currently in the Iowa House to help address access mental health care:
- Expanding the psychiatric residency program at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics by funding 12 new residency positions (HF 2157)
- Adding 32 adult and 14 children’s mental health beds at the state’s mental health institutes (HSB 531)
- Expanding the mental health professional loan repayment program (HF 2137)
These bills are good first steps to addressing access and attracting professionals to our state, but they are not going to solve the problem entirely. Iowa needs to be a state where people want to live, and must be welcoming for all types of families. This includes quality education for children, parks, and affordable childcare. Solving the mental health crisis in Iowa must take a holistic approach.
More Iowa News
FEBRUARY IS HEART DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH: Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 650,000 people each year. American Heart Month is a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. On National Wear Red Day, February 4th, we remember those we have lost to heart disease and raise awareness of the actions we can all take to prevent it.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS REMINDED TO SIGN UP FOR NEW TAX FILING SYSTEM: Business owners across the state are being reminded they need to sign up for the new state GovConnectIowa to file required tax documents. After February 4th the previous eFile & Pay system will no longer be available. A new logon will be needed to file withholding, sales, and use taxes. The GovConnectIowa system was launched in late 2021 for business owners to simplify paying taxes and renewing licenses and permits. The system will continue to be expanded over the next several years to allow for additional types of taxes to be managed by the electronic system. Additional information on GovConnectIowa, including how to create a login and access Iowa tax accounts, can be found at tax.iowa.gov/
SPRING BREAK ACTIVITY KITS FOR KIDS: Bring activities from the State Historical Museum of Iowa into your home by requesting a free Spring Break Kit from Goldie’s Kids Club. Register by March 6 for a free kit (one per household) that includes exclusive previews of future Innovative Iowans and Storytime activities at: iowaculture.wufoo.com/forms/
SPONSORS SOUGHT FOR SUMMER MEALS: In an effort to head off hunger, the Iowa Department of Education is starting to seek sponsors for a federally funded program that provides nutritious meals or snacks to children in low-income areas of the state during the summer months. Summer can mean that more than 195,000 Iowa children face hunger. The program uses local sponsors and partner organizations to manage summer meal services. Organizations can also get involved by partnering with existing sponsors to promote site locations, provide activities for children, volunteers, transportation assistance and more. Organizations interested in learning how to get involved are invited to visit the Department’s Summer Food Service Program webpage at: educateiowa.gov/pk-12/
Improve education, in the words of the late Tim Wilson, buy more chalk.
Don’t use chalk anymore.
Too much fedweal govenrment control in EVWEYTHIG anymore – let the states back in control = Not one word about CRT = communist krap = Is this BLAH BLAH ?
Eliminate the overabundance of “professional” administrators and “special education” teachers. Send the retards to the ‘Retard Room’ let the normal students learn and keep the jews out of our schools.
Still stupid I see.
Don’t believe that will change
Correct!
The national media inspires a collective thought on a variety of social matters. Take homelessness for instance. The cold northern clime prevents year round homelessness from being a common sight when out and about. They shuffle off to somewhere else. Which fits in nicely with the popular local slogan ‘It’s not my problem’. They where kids once. Now tossed away and left to die. Mentally uncapable of coping. Rejected. Sweep that ugliness under the rug. It’s all about the kids. What type of quality education are you talking about? Cell phone are just programing. Not true education. The kind that leads to enlightenment. We need children moving down the road to enlightenment. Not this ‘programmed’ folly unleashed by phones. Which is the true teacher of kids now. Easily corruptible.
Fail 101
No amount of money is going to fix our public schools. Getting rid of the teachers union would be a good place to start. School choice would be second on my list.
1. In Iowa, about 50% of teachers belong to the ISEA. Besides, the legislature gutted bargaining rights massively a few years ago pretty much eliminating everything public workers could bargain for. 2. We already have school choice.
send the money with the choice
They do.
Take a look at any of the districts around here’ monthly School Board meeting. If you find what they spent their money on for the month, you would notice a lot of money going to near by schools. For example, on a Clear Lake expenditures list, they may have a check for $27,000 going to G-H-V. That is the money following the kid.