Rep. Sharon Steckman says she’s concerned state budget headed toward deficits

MASON CITY – “The numbers are in” says Rep. Sharon Steckman of Mason City, saying projections point to big state budget deficits looming even as Governor Kim Reynolds and Republicans promise more big tax cuts.

According to a statement sent to NIT by Rep. Sharon Steckman:

The numbers are in and I’m concerned. For the first time in my memory, our state budget experts are predicting state revenues will be in the red. From 2023 to 2025 Iowa is projected to lose $268.6 million.

While the numbers are worse than I expected, I’m not surprised. Over the last several years, the priorities have all been about special interests, not Iowans. Over $300 million of our tax dollars have been handed over to the biggest corporations. Further depleting State revenues, with no help for a single small business or a family trying to pay the bills. The 3,400 Iowans who earn more than a million dollars get a tax break of $1,300 weekly. Those folks earning $40,000 yearly will see nothing.

Unfortunately, the state’s budget situation and rural public schools are only going to get worse because of the voucher bill passed last session. It was set up so private schools get unlimited, automatic money from the state every year. Called an Unlimited Standing Appropriation, it’s no accident that private schools are first in line to get public tax dollars automatically every year while public schools, state troopers, social workers, etc. hope for a reasonable investment later.

Vouchers were estimated to cost $107 million in the first year. The actual bill last month came to $144 million. And that’s just the first year.

Three years from now, every student attending private school will receive close to $8,000, even if their parents own a mansion in Des Moines, a summer home in Clear Lake, and have 4 children that attend private school. Their tuition will be paid by the Iowa taxpayer. The estimated cost in year three is over $365 million. By year four, public money sent to private schools will have risen 800% and total over $1 billion.

The numbers released this fall also show that private school vouchers are not equal for all Iowans. Guess where most of the voucher money has gone? You guessed it, urban centers! Over half of the $144 million went to a few counties with the biggest populations. Forty-two counties do not have a private school and in three counties no one even applied for voucher dollars. This liberal influx of money to some counties is doing nothing for rural Iowa and at the same time taking away funds from rural schools. Also, private schools do not have to follow all the mandates or admit all the students which are required of our public schools.

On top of the budget concerns, the New York company that is being paid to oversee the Governor’s voucher program is not required to use Iowa banks to deposit the voucher money. Our elected State Auditor cannot investigate the handling of those dollars because legislation this year forbids his oversight

As a fiscal conservative, these numbers are all troubling to me.

However, I am hopeful. With high turnout across the state in school board races, Iowans are clearly paying attention. They soundly rejected several candidates backed by the special interest groups who pushed for vouchers and now want even more of our tax dollars.

Next session, we need to listen to Iowans and put people over politics. For too long, the special interests have been calling the shots in Des Moines and telling Iowans what’s best for them. Please take time in the interim to ask the hard questions of your legislators and candidates.

We need to be in Des Moines working for ALL Iowans, not a select few.