A new precedent has been established in Iowa politics: If at first you don’t succeed, stack the deck so you get your desired outcome. At least that is how it appeared on a bill recently passed out of committee which would increase the gas tax.
Just hours before this bill was to be considered in Ways and Means, Speaker Kraig Paulsen replaced two “no” votes with two “yes” votes so the gas tax could pass out of committee by a slim 13-12 vote. This unprecedented move by Speaker Paulsen, while completely within his authority as speaker, has outraged many Iowans (even some who are supportive of the legislation); and rightly so.
My opposition to raising the gas tax in well known. I realize some may interpret my objection to this outcome as merely “sour grapes” over the bill advancing. However, the strong-arm tactics employed to narrowly pass this bill out of committee has made this legislation so much more than just raising the gas tax. This bill exemplifies how DC-style arm-twisting has poisoned the waterhole in Iowa politics.
There were already major concerns surrounding this legislation as it does more than just raise the gas tax. Now, thanks to the way in which this bill was rammed through the Ways and Means committee, it has become tainted. There is now an odiferous cloud hanging over the legislature that will linger long past this infamous vote.
Needless to say, I am very disappointed in how this has all transpired. The committee process serves as a protection from runaway legislation. As part of the vetting process, legislation must navigate the various hurdles to allow public input and robust debate. If a bill runs into a road block, it must either be reworked or wait until the political landscape has changed so that it may continue to advance.
It is a slow and arduous process. However, it is purposely designed to refine legislation in order to avoid any unintended consequences. While it may be frustratingly slow at times, legislators generally respect the committee process as it serves to protect their constituency. The extraordinary actions taken by Speaker Paulsen in last week’s Ways and Means switch-a-roo demonstrate nothing but contempt for that process. I am troubled by this unprincipled maneuver, as it was shameful and deplorable.
This action serves as a woeful reminder of just how powerful certain special interest groups are in government. I would expect this type of coercive political manipulation to happen in Washington, DC, but not Des Moines; not here in Iowa.
Now that this legislation is eligible for floor debate in both the House and Senate, the question now becomes: Will legislators endorse these kind of “ends justify the means” political tactics by supporting it with their vote? And will the people of Iowa tolerate their elected representatives in the Iowa General Assembly, if they do?
Rep. Greg Heartsill (R-Columbia) serves in Iowa House District 28.