Statehouse chatter

Although most of the invited elected officials were unable to attend Saturday morning’s legislative forum in Newton, Rep. Wes Breckenridge was still able to report on current statehouse objectives and entertain light debate against opponent Jon Dunwell, who is vying for the Iowa House District 29 seat.

Organized by the League of Women Voters of Jasper County, the forum extended invitations to Sen. Amy Sinclair, Sen. Zach Nunn and Rep. Jon Thorup, who all represent some portions of the region. Since these three could not attend due to conflicting schedules, Breckenridge provided legislative insight.

Education is typically a strong focus within the first 30 days of the legislative session, he said; as evidenced by the continuation of additional funding for schools’ transportation costs — which is especially helpful for rural districts — and the split thoughts on supplemental state aid dollars.

“We continue to fight and fund for quality education, skilled workforce,” Breckenridge said. “That has a direct correlation with jobs and (the) market and getting our kids ready for the workforce. Unemployment is low, which is good. It also means we have to have the best education we can to have them prepared.”

Further education legislation was likely sparked by a special report from WHO TV Channel 13 last year that chronicled the experiences of Iowa teachers trying to manage disruptive students inside classrooms. Breckenridge has spoken with Sen. Jeff Edler and Sinclair about behavioral issues within the school.

“They struggle with outbursts and have to do room clears and things like this, so we’re trying to look at what we can do to not only help the school, the staff, the administration and the teachers, but also the kids,” he said. “Kids are struggling. There’s a behavioral issue. There’s a mental health issue. There’s something.”

Hopefully, as legislators move forward this session, this particular issue will be looked at from every angle and context, “and not just an isolated context,” Breckenridge said. Other bill work surrounding Medicaid mental health dollars is receiving bipartisan support.

This bill, which passed out of the subcommittee and full committee, would allow the state to apply for waivers to use federal dollars to help individuals with severe mental health issues. The steps the state needs to take in order to apply for the waiver have yet to be determined.

Bipartisan support has also extended to legislation surrounding what rural hospitals charge for emergency room visits from people on Medicaid. Breckenridge said the bill helps providers struggling to find the right billing code for certain conditions based on guidelines set by managed care organizations.

“They are looking at changing the billing codes to allow for the providers to be able to do that, because every time we have a patient come through the hospital has to eat those dollars. The last thing I ever want to see is us lose our hospital here,” he said, noting the fate of Marshalltown’s hospital leaving in 2022.

Questions and status of proposals

Once Breckenridge opened the discussion up to questions, attendees immediately latched onto fears of losing or undermining Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS). Several legislators claim IPERS will not be touched. Breckenridge said he had not heard any “rumblings” yet this year.

Other guests wanted to know where the statehouse stands on the abortion constitutional amendment bill, which would no longer protect abortion rights or its funding. Breckenridge said the bill passed the senate. The house representative said it has to pass two separate sessions before going to a vote by the people.

“Will the president of the senate, will the speaker of the house bring those to the floor for a vote or discussion? Or will we not? So that’s kind of where we’re at waiting to see what their leadership does,” Breckenridge said. “We don’t have control of what comes or doesn’t come as far as a minority to a house floor.”

Important to note: the constitutional amendment does not ban abortion. Jon Dunwell, a candidate campaigning for Breckenridge’s seat, asked if he could explain the implications for Iowa and the right to life would be. To Breckenridge’s understanding, the state would no longer recognize abortion protections.

"If there was laws or legislation passed after … would have to look at that constitutional amendment and say, hey, nope, there is no protection. So if this is a more strict abortion law or a less restriction abortion law, it's gotta be based on that constitutional amendment — it's weighed by that," Breckenridge said.

Before the legislative session commenced, there were talks of addressing the state’s animal cruelty laws. Earlier this year the Animal Legal Defense Fund released state rankings of animal protection laws – Iowa was ranked second to last, one of the worst in the United States.

One forum attendee worried the proposed animal abuse laws may target farm animals, despite Breckenridge arguing livestock are separated from domestic pets. The legislator said there are already regulations put in place for farm animals, but an animal abuse bill would likely target pets and puppy mills.

The attendee questioned how the state would define mistreatment or what animals would be considered pets. Having livestock outside during winter conditions, he argued, may be seen by some as abuse. Again, Breckenridge said, the animal cruelty legislation is targeted at household pets.

“There’s quite a few farmers on the house side that also recognize (the bill is for household pets) and aren’t worried about cracking open the door,” Breckenridge said. “It passed pretty bipartisan. I don’t think they would have supported that if they didn’t think there were concerns.”

Breckenridge and Dunwell talk economic growth

To the knowledge of Newton Daily News, Dunwell and Breckenridge have not yet had a formal debate with each other. The forum offered a platform for the two to go head-to-head on a few issues, though the topics were not entirely sparked by a third party or a moderator.

State growth was the first topic to be prompted by Dunwell. He praised the state’s priorities on education and high standards. But in order to maintain those standards, Dunwell argued the state needs to find “some ways to generate economic growth,” especially in rural Iowa.

“We lost the (TPI Composites) bus manufacturing (plant), not because it wasn’t a profitable business, but we couldn’t find enough workers,” Dunwell said. “I know that’s kind of a priority in the legislature right now, but we’ve got to create some economic growth. Tax rates are part of that. Not all of it.”

Dunwell wanted to know from Breckenridge what the legislature is trying to do to create more economic growth. Breckenridge said he looks at it as a multi-pronged approach to the issue and agreed with Dunwell that it’s not just answering it with taxes or tax cuts.

“We did a series of tax cuts in 2012 and 2013. We did a total of 10 percent commercial industrial tax cut … with hopes that would raise growth to 4, 4.5, 5 percent. And the state guaranteed backfill for those cities and counties to make up for the loss that they took … in order to help growth,” Breckenridge said. “Well, that didn’t happen.”

Fast forward a couple years, he said, the state issues another tax cut attempting to do the same thing. Breckenridge said Iowans won’t know the turnout until five or seven years later. History tells taxpayers so far that method “has not worked.” However, other measures such as implementing a rural broadband system may kickstart more growth and businesses.

Another avenue to look at — in terms of securing growth — is housing, Breckenridge said; a struggle Jasper County and Newton certainly know about. Having a housing stock and creating a good “quality of life” through education, health care and broadband access is important to attracting people to towns.

“If you can get the quality of life, get your internet, get your housing, then we can start enticing people (and businesses) to come here … expand current businesses and bring people here that will work,” Breckenridge said. “So there are things in place to make that happen.”

Connections in minimum wage, health care

A question surrounding minimum wage provided more for Breckenridge and Dunwell to talk about. The attendee argued $7.25 per hour is not a livable wage, which Breckenridge described as a “complex issue.” He also said there hasn’t been anything “of substance” in the statehouse about this particular issue.

Although Breckenridge believes the minimum wage should be raised, he contended it cannot skyrocket from $7.25 to $15 in one year. Smaller businesses already struggling to meet ends meet would only struggle more, he argued. Breckenridge said minimum wage increases would have to be phased in.

Dunwell asked if Iowa knows what percentage of jobs in the state are still minimum wage and was curious if wages were increasing. Breckenridge said he did not have the exact numbers or statistics but contends nationwide has seen a slight increase in wage growth.

“I know nationally the bottom third wagers had the highest wage increase with the tax cuts recently, and with the economy booming a little more — so I’m just curious what that relates to,” Dunwell said.

Breckenridge noted Dunwell’s point, but the incumbent also drew attention to how much workers are paying in health care in addition to their increased salaries. Health care, Breckenridge claimed, is “part of that wage package” and may be setting workers up for failure.

“You have people in this county, this community that are paying $1,300 to $1,900 a month for a healthcare plan that they’re having to pay out $6,000 out of pocket max on top of the premiums,” Breckenridge said.

Dunwell agreed with his point, noting he has experienced such things with his own family. Breckenridge seems to suggest there is a correlation between proposed minimum wage increases and health care. The costs of which and how they’re paid for are still up for debate.

Still, Dunwell wanted to know what Breckenridge thinks the solution is.

“I hear you describe your problem. Someone’s gotta pay that health care cost. It’s not free. So even if the federal government covers all of it, it is still a cost associated with health care that someone has to pay for,” Dunwell said.

Part of the solution starts at the federal level, Breckenridge. The Affordable Care Act “was attempting to spread that out over large groups of people” to make sure people are covered. Pharmaceutical and insurance costs have to be “reigned in.” Breckenridge also affirmed he does not support Medicare For All.

Stifling innovation, money in politics

Dunwell said part of the problem with medicine today is the lack of a free-market system. Sometimes he wonders “if we are stifling innovation of how we can provide more affordable service.” Right now, he said there are too many hoops to jump through and he can see that drug prices “are out of wack.”

“So sometimes I wonder if just trying to find more regulation is really the answer, if we really just need to back off and try to find a way in which innovation can take in and come up with creative solutions to lowering medical costs,” Dunwell said. “… There’s more efficient ways than we do it now.”

Breckenridge argued it is better to find solutions “than to just continue to turn a blind eye,” which is what he sees the federal government doing right now. The overarching issue with “all of this,” he said, is money in politics.

“When you have corporate lobbyists and those investing in the legislation this past session at the federal level that are investing in making sure certain bills don’t go through, certain other bills do go through — you gotta get money out of politics,” Breckenridge said. “… They have such are large impact--”

Dunwell asked, “Does that mean union dollars, too?”

“That means all money,” Breckenridge said. “If I had my way for campaign stuff, my way would say each you — depending on what race it is — get the same number of dollars, same number of days--”

Dunwell said that is not fair in a race between an incumbent and non-incumbent. Breckenridge said he did not understand. Dunwell said there is a built-in familiarity with the incumbent. Breckenridge affirmed they would both have the same amount of resources, same doors to knock, same things to do — and therefore be fair and balanced. Dunwell said it is not fair and balanced.

The League of Women Voters will hold its next legislative coffee March 28.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com