DES MOINES — The Iowa legislative session often starts with optimism and a hope much will be accomplished. Pre-legislative events often take on that same promise of accomplishments that will benefit many, and Thursday’s Greater Des Moines Partnership Legislative Leadership Luncheon wasn’t an exception.
The luncheon, held at the Des Moines Botanical Garden, featured a panel of three state legislators who answered a series of questions prepared by the partnership’s leaders, as well as a few from the audience. The ticketed banquet had some locals, such as Jasper County Economic Development Corporation Director and Sen. Chaz Allen (D-Newton).
The panel featured State Rep. Jo Oldson (D-Des Moines), Iowa Senate GOP Whip Jack Whitver (R-Ankeny) and Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids). Micheal Sadler, a CenturyLink vice president who serves as the partnership’s government policy council chair, emceed the discussion.
The event also was the venue where the Partnership unveiled its 2017 legislative priorities. The City of Newton is a member of the Partnership.
Water quality and local tax options were among the priorities discussed by the three legislators. Giving more local control of tax revenues is one of the stated 2017 priorities of the partnership.
Whitver told those in attendance there are already plenty of Iowans complaining about the state taxing its residents and visitors in too many ways.
“Iowans feel overtaxed,” Whitver said. “So any discussion that concerns statewide taxes should include all Iowans. I live in Ankeny, a very urban place, but I’m from Grinnell, so I work toward solutions that benefit all Iowans. We will see how the rest of our (Republican) caucus feels about certain proposals, but by and large, we don’t want to increase the tax burden.”
Hogg said his home city of Cedar Rapids is in the third year of a 10-year local sales tax plan — one that helped pay for flood-related costs.
Oldson said making taxes work in a way that would help pay for water quality is tough work.
“I’ve been making efforts on tax reform the whole 14 years I’ve been in the legislature,” she said. “When you get down into the nitty gritty, it’s not easy. Fortunately, we all get along pretty well. What you see in the press are the hot issues, but generally, we work well together.”
Whitver said there are water quality proposals he likes. He said Republicans having control of the governorship and both sides of the Legislature means there will still be opposition, but voters will get to see GOP solutions enacted, and he’s confident the public will see positive results.
“In the past, I think a lot of really good legislation has been stopped by one party or the other,” he said.
After the event, Allen told the Newton Daily News he doesn’t see the majority-holding Republicans making a big push to create a new tax or increase existing taxes significantly to pay for water quality projects.
“I don’t see a new tax coming in,” Allen said. “There are about three major proposals out there, but I’ll have to review each one.”
Allen said he doubts Kim Reynolds, the lieutenant governor who is taking over the governor’s duties as Gov. Terry Branstad departs to be the U.S. ambassador to China, will bring in an entirely new method of paying for water quality improvements.
The Partnership’s priorities mention water quality, supporting Branstad’s proposal and other methods to address the issue at the watershed level.
The other Partnership priorities include:
• Reducing corporate state income tax rates to increase competitiveness.
• A thorough renovation of the State Historical Museum and State Historical Building.
• Supporting the Future Ready Iowa initiative to help close skills gaps.
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com