News from the Hill…
This week the Iowa House passed HF 215 which is a bill on education reform. We started around 6:30 in the evening and the debate had concluded by midnight but the floor manager did not have time to give his closing remarks on the bill. A couple of years ago we passed a rule that no vote could be taken after midnight. So the debate was temporally deferred until 8:30 the next morning. At that time the closing remarks were given and the bill passed 52 voting aye, 44 voting nay and 4 absent or not voting. I voted for this bill.
This is a record investment in Iowa schools and teachers, at full implementation it will be an investment of $157 million. Supplemental State Aid (formerly known as Allowable Growth) will provide an additional $69 million in Fiscal Year 2014 and $43 million in Fiscal Year 2015. With that, the bill promises the state will pick up the resulting property tax increase of around $8 million in each of the next two years, protecting property tax payers. This bill creates career pathways for teachers and provides incentives for teachers in high-needs fields. Through the new changes implemented, we are heading towards a system where teacher and administrator evaluations will mean something and be based on a number of factors. Communities will be able to see quantitatively how their local schools are performing. We know that every school district across the state has different needs and faces different challenges. In this bill there is flexibility built in which allows local districts to implement innovative systems that best fit their own district. We are investing in a strategy that brings the best practice of high-performing school districts to all of our schools.
Property Tax…
The Governor’s property tax bill was assigned and we had our first subcommittee meeting this week. The bill addresses the high property taxes that Iowa companies have to pay and sets up a plan to lower their taxes. The bill while doing this, does not shift the burden on other property tax payers. There is language in the bill that is a standing appropriation for the state to replace the potential dollars that local governments may loose. The bill also addresses the high property tax dollars Residential and Ag land have to pay by lowering their cap on taxable growth. This bill, HSB 150 and HF 2, which I am the lead sponsor on, are the only two bills protecting all property tax payers. The House Republicans with Governor Branstad are committed to protect the property tax payers of Iowa. I have assigned myself as the floor manager of both of these bills.
Expanding Medicaid is not the answer…
In a country that has a record deficit and is dysfunctional at the federal level, entering into an agreement that is primarily funded in federal dollars is not very fiscally intelligent. Actuarial reports estimate that it will cost the state of Iowa between $171.2 million and $536.6 million total from FY 2014 to FY 2020. If the Federal government chose to go to a blended rate or to reduce their match on Medicaid dollars, Iowa taxpayers would have to pick up the balance. In 2004 the Federal governments share of Medicaid was 63.8%, for fiscal year 2014 it is estimated the Federal match will be 58.4%. This means over the last ten years, the state has had to pay $192.5 million in additional Medicaid benefits that the federal government had previously paid for. The taxpayers of Iowa cannot afford any more so called help from the federal government. To quote President Reagan, “We should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.”
Medicaid is a welfare program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. This should not be confused with Medicare which is a national social insurance program, administered by the U.S. federal government and that guarantees access to health insurance for Americans ages 65 and older and younger people with disabilities.
“It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”
– George Washington
For more information on these and other bills: www.legis.iowa.gov
-Tom Sands
This weeks Forum Topic is, “Taxes”
8:30 – 10:00
Saturday, February 23
Iowa Wesleyan College, Mt. Pleasant