Recap of Week 10

Monday was Lutheran Day on the Hill and I met with staff from Lutheran Services of Iowa in Anamosa. They were visiting the Capitol to discuss the Health and Human Services budget.

This Saturday, March 17^th, there will be a forum in Manchester at the Coffee Den at 8:30 am. Representative Steve Lukan will be joining me. Please come and share any thoughts or questions you may have.

Field of Dreams Bill Continues to Receive Consideration

A bill that would aid in the creation of ‘All Star Ballpark Heaven,’ a baseball and softball tournament facility at the site of the Field of Dreams filming location in Dyersville, continues to move through the legislative process this week with a Ways and Means subcommittee. HF 2419 would allow for the creation of a sales tax TIF for the facility site. The sales tax revenue generated at the site would be rebated to the developers of the facility, whereas that money is usually added to the state’s general fund. The bill provides for a limit to this sales tax rebate at, either, $16.5 million, or for a period of ten years, whichever occurs first. The pennies included in sales tax to go to schools and a local option, will continue to be collected and diverted as usual, and will not go to the developers or count toward the cap total.

Developers of the Field of Dreams plan propose to create a baseball and softball tournament complex that would consist of 24 fields, a year-round sports dome, on-site housing, banquet/retreat facilities, and improvements to the movie site. The location would play host to weekly premier baseball and softball tournaments and camps during the appropriate seasons. The proposed site has as initial construction cost estimate of $38 million, and would add jobs for the area via the initial construction of the project, ongoing employees at the site, and through increased need for services in the surrounding area from all of the athletes and their families needing food and a place to stay. The developer’s project that the site will create 956 jobs as a result.

The legislation is modeled off a similar deal that the developers of the Newton Speedway received when it was being conceptualized in 2005. That legislation used the same framework: a sales tax rebate on goods sold at the Raceway. Similarly, this was limited to $12 million, or a period of ten years. The Speedway says it has not reached its monetary cap and is approaching the ten year limitation. The initial budget for the Speedway construction was $40 million, and thus, the sales tax rebate cap represented 30% of the initial project estimate cost. For the Field of Dreams proposal, the percentage is a little higher, with the $16.5 million cap representing 43% of the initial budget for construction.

Proponents also say that this model is a fiscally sound way of engaging in economic development from the state perspective, as the state does not put any money into the project up front. Instead, the project gets to ‘keep’ money that it is able to generate; money that would not have been generated if the project would not have existed. If the project fails, the state would not be out any investment as it never put any money into it in the first place.

The idea hasn’t been one that has been met with complete agreement and positivity, as many local farmers and residents in Dyersville are skeptical of the project. The local component to the project is of vital importance, as hurdles remain at that level before the project could move forward. Sewage and water would need to be extended to the site in order to could handle the projected increase of individuals attending the site. This may involve the voluntary annexation of land to make way for these improvements. Others worry about the loss of a way of life some have come to expect. This is both true of the actual Field of Dreams site, and the way the town is run and inhabited at this point. Some worry that the proposed tournament facility will lead to the over-commercialization of the site, and thus would lose the quaint attraction it currently possesses. Others worry about the increased volume of individuals that would be descending on the town of 4,000 people.

The plan consists of a number of moving parts including the local and state components. As for the state component: the House bill originally passed the Economic Growth committee on a vote of 12-9, and is currently in the Ways and Means committee, awaiting discussion. There is also a companion bill in the Senate, which passed its initial committee on a vote of 13-2.

House Approves Education Reform

The House considered and passed House File 2380, the Education Reform bill, on Wednesday after a long legislative day that ended up spanning two calendar days.  The bill received nearly twelve hours of debate on 56 amendments and the bill and passed on a partisan vote of 53 to 46.

But beneath that partisan vote was very much a bipartisan effort.  Democrat members rose to speak about a number of portions of the bill they supported.  There were 8 amendments accepted that were brought forward by the minority party.  And the entire process saw much collaboration between the two sides of the aisle.

The final bill came before the full House after 5 subcommittees that spent over a dozen hours considering the bill, committee discussion that spanned 3 days and a public hearing before the legislature.  Much of the language that was of concern was removed, tweaked to make it better.  The concentration of power in the Department of Education, in the original bill, was lessened, and local control was evident throughout the final version.  In the end, House Republicans passed a bill that will move the state forward in education.

The bill recognizes that one-size-fits-all education isn’t necessarily true, by expanding online learning opportunities, implementing a path to competency-based education and strengthening charter schools; it helps put great teachers in front of all classrooms; it frees principals to lead by providing a path for delegating non-instructional duties to assistants; it develops stronger assessments to help determine where kids are and how they have grown; it strengthens early literacy initiatives by providing resources to get children reading by the end of third grade; it puts in place efforts and opportunities to increase innovation that can provide results; and it establishes several means to continue discussions on how to make our education system the best it can be for the future of Iowa’s children.

The bill will travel to the Senate now for consideration.  The Senate has been working on their own version of the Governor’s education reform proposal that is sitting before the body for consideration at any time.  House Republicans look forward to carrying the bipartisan effort of education reform that took place in the House across to the other chamber to put a bill on the Governor’s desk for signature this year.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these topics or any others please feel free to contact me by e-mail at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515) 281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein

Recap of Week 9

This week the House passed HF 2292, the Fish Confinement Feeding Operations bill, which I managed. The bill adds fish to the definition of animals in the livestock environmental regulatory Code. Additionally, the bill allows fish farmers to choose to follow either livestock regulatory manure handling or wastewater treatment requirements.

Next Saturday, March 17^th, there will be a forum with myself and Representative Steve Lukan in Manchester at the Coffee Den. Please come and share any comments or concerns you may have.

Public Hearing on Education Reform

On Tuesday the House held a public hearing on House File 2380, the Education Reform bill.  In just under two and half hours, the legislature heard from about 44 speakers and an opening statement by Governor Branstad about his proposed bill. 

The speakers were all over the board on issues, with many not taking a position on the full bill itself, but rather individual parts of the bill.  Aside from the Governor, speakers included teachers, principals, superintendents, lobbyists, parents, youth ministers, school board members, union representatives, and students.  There is much passion for the education of Iowa’s children.

Several speakers focused on the online learning components in the bill.  A parent of several children who have been enrolled in online learning programs spoke about the positive experience it afforded him and his family.  Others were cautious about a full day of online learning for any kids, specifically those in younger grades, expressing concern about socialization and achievement.

Additionally, a provision in the bill regarding third-grade literacy and the retention of third-graders who do not meet minimum proficiency received much attention.  Some felt that basing a child’s progression on a single test was unfair, while others argued that acquiring necessary reading skills was essential to achieving any success in later grades, claiming passing a student along when they were unprepared was not a fair move.  Unanimously it is agreed that a larger focus on literacy needs to be taken and the bill makes positive steps, but the retention part is up for debate.

With a bill of this scope, one that essentially combines a dozen or more policy pieces into a single bill, it’s understandable that consensus was discussed issue by issue.  Regardless of the position many speakers took, the overwhelming message received was that reform of some kind was applauded, appreciated, and necessary.

The next steps for the Education Reform bill will be House Floor action at some point.  Amendments are being drafted and discussed on both sides of the aisle as legislators prepare for the discussion before the full body soon.  The Senate is currently moving its own version of education reform in a much smaller bill that shares some similarities with the governor’s proposal and the bill before the House.  When and if they plan to act on their measure, however, is unclear at this point.

Providing Support for Grieving Families

Losing a child is devastating for a family.  Losing a child you never met is just as painful.  Each year there are between twenty-five and thirty thousand stillborn babies. Parents of these babies are heartbroken and some have looked to the state for recognition of the child they lost.  In these cases, most states offer a fetal death certificate, but often parents are looking for more.  This year, Iowa families approached House Republicans and asked for help moving legislation that would recognize these children.

House File 2368 tries to offer support for these parents in an unimaginably difficult time.  The bill allows for the issuance of a Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth.  In Iowa, when a child is stillborn, the parents are given a fetal death certificate and that’s all they have to recognize their child. For many families, this is not enough; they want something that says their child was born, even if it was a stillbirth.  

 A Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillbirth may be issued under HF 2368 if a parent requests it.  The Certificate will include the date of the stillbirth, where the stillbirth occurred, and any name (or no name) given to the child.  While this may not seem like a large issue to some, for others who have suffered this loss, the Certificate is very important.  32 states have passed similar legislation.  The M.I.S.S. Organization and Missingangelsbill.org have worked with families across the country to pass legislation to recognize stillborn babies.

House Republicans and Democrats worked together on this bill to ensure that it met the needs of these families and was practical for departments to implement.  The end result was a bill that received unanimous consent in both the Judiciary committee and on the House floor.  House File 2368 is now over in the Senate awaiting their support.

Iowa’s Economic Competitiveness Improves

Iowa’s position amongst states in regards to economic competitiveness improved according to a national study.  On Wednesday, the Beacon Hill Institute released its annual survey of state economic competitiveness and rated Iowa as the eighth most competitive state in the nation.  This is one step up from the state’s ninth place ranking in 2010.

The Beacon Hill Institute, based at Suffolk University in Boston, has conducted these surveys for eleven years. The survey grades each state on eight topics – government and fiscal policy, security, infrastructure, human resources, technology, business incubation, openness, and environmental policy.  The grades for these categories are determined by rankings of 44 separate indicators ranging from the number of active physicians per 100,000 residents to how a state’s budget deficit compares to its gross state product.

For Iowa, the state ranked near or at the top on the state’s minimum wage level, the percent of population enrolled in degree-granting institutions, the budget deficit, murder rate, and average rent for a two-bedroom apartment.  Iowa did not do so well when it came to air travel, the number of physicians per 100,000 Iowans, and the number of full-time public employees per 100 residents.  Iowa ranked 50^th in the number of business “births” per 100,000 Iowans.

For 2011, the survey found that Massachusetts was the most competitive state in the Union.  This was a jump up from third best last year.  North Dakota was rated number two.  The remainder of top five included Colorado, Minnesota, and Utah.  While Iowa’s improvement to eighth is a good sign, the fact that two neighboring states – Minnesota and Nebraska – are rated higher show the need for more action to improve Iowa’s competitive status.

To look at the full report from the Beacon Hill institute, visit:  http://www.beaconhill.org/Compete11/Compete2011.pdf

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these topics or any others please feel free to contact me by e-mail at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515) 281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein

Recap of Week 8

After the disappointing absence of the Democrats for most of the day Wednesday, the House passed HJR 2009, which would amend the Iowa Constitution to include the right to keep and bear arms.

To amend the Iowa Constitution, the amendment must pass the House and Senate in two consecutive General Assemblies. Iowa citizens would then vote to approve the amendment before it becomes a part of the Constitution.

The House also passed HF 2215, the Castle Doctrine, otherwise known as “Stand Your Ground.” This bill allows a person to use reasonable force to defend themselves or others against an attacker. It also provides protection from civil and criminal suits for those who legally use reasonable force to protect themselves or others.

This week I visited with the Jones County 9-12 group. They met with Governor Branstad and shared some of their thoughts and concerns with him. They thoroughly enjoyed their time here, including a tour of the Capitol and dome.

The House passed four important budget bills this week. They include Justice, Judicial, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Economic Development. All four have been sent to the Senate for consideration.

There will be a public hearing on Education Reform this coming Monday, March 5^th, in the House Chambers. Everyone is invited to attend. You can also watch online by going to the Iowa Legislature website and clicking on “live house video.”

Iowans support House Republicans’ Property Tax Plan

A recent Iowa poll by the Des Moines Register showed widespread support for the House Republican Property Tax Plan. One of the questions, and the response to it by the public was revealing:

Question:

A trade-off the Legislature is considering is about tax rates on commercial property. Reduced rates might make Iowa more attractive to business, and would also mean lower tax revenues for cities, counties, and schools. Do you favor such an approach?

60 percent of Iowans said they favored cutting commercial property taxes, even if that meant lower revenues for local governments.  Cleary, the public understands that governments at all levels need to spend less and free up the private sector for investment, growth and job creation.

The Register Poll showed support for this concept across political lines:

70% of Republicans

60% percent of Independents

47% of Democrats

House Republicans passed a bold plan, and the majority of Iowans support this effort. 73 percent said this plan would attract businesses to come to Iowa, and motivate existing employers already in Iowa to add jobs here. This is exactly why House Republicans pursued this legislation.

This plan is not only good for all taxpayers in Iowa, but the people of Iowa have spoken and they want action.  Iowans have indicated that the House Republicans’ plan to provide broad based tax relief to all classes of property is what they want.  The taxpayers of Iowa now have a seat at the table.

Forbes Magazine Names Des Moines as Second Best City for Jobs

This week, Forbes magazine released its list of top cities in which an individual should look for a job. Des Moines was second on that list; only behind Washington, D.C. Forbes cited high household incomes and a low unemployment rate as the primary reasons for the ranking. The magazine also stated that projections from Moody’s Analytics estimate that employment in the Des Moines area will see an increase of 8.6% over the next four years, which would translate into 36,000 jobs.

The story referenced a number of Iowa employers including John Deere, Pioneer, Kemin Industries in the ag/biotech area.  These businesses are providing thousands of Iowans jobs. Forbes also lauded Des Moines’ ability to retain big downtown businesses during the downturn such as Principal, Wells Fargo, and Meredith as other big cities across the nation lost downtown jobs and haven’t been able to recover them.

Governor Branstad set an ambitious goal of creating 200,000 new jobs and increasing the wealth of Iowa families by 25 percent. If the projections that Forbes makes are accurate, Des Moines could play a very large role in helping to achieve those goals.

Justice Systems Budget Passes House with Bi-Partisan Support

Tuesday night, House Republicans proposed a Justice Systems Appropriation Bill that did just that. By a vote of 69-30, House File 2335 passed the house and is now waiting for action in the Senate.

House File 2335 spends $504.5 million from the General Fund. The money appropriated in this budget is used to cover costs of the Attorney General, the Department of Corrections, Community Based Corrections, the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, State Public Defender, Board of Parole, Department of Public Defense, Department of Public Safety, Gaming Enforcement, and the Civil Rights Commission. All budgets are the same as FY12, except for the Attorney General and the Civil Rights Commission, both of which were reduced by 10 percent. The impact on both of these groups is expected to be minimal.

House Republicans worked hard to ensure that needs of all departments were met within the budget target. It’s difficult to get bi-partisan support on budget bills, but HF 2335 was supported by 13 Democrats who agreed that the House Republicans’ budget was the right course of action.

It is now up to the Senate to review HF 2335 and determine if they will meet the House recommendations or propose a different budget. If the Senate does not agree with the House the bill will be sent back to the House for further negotiation.

If you have any comments or questions about any of the issues here or others that come to mind, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515)-281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein

Recap of Week 8

After the disappointing absence of the Democrats for most of the day Wednesday, the House passed HJR 2009, which would amend the Iowa Constitution to include the right to keep and bear arms.

To amend the Iowa Constitution, the amendment must pass the House and Senate in two consecutive General Assemblies. Iowa citizens would then vote to approve the amendment before it becomes a part of the Constitution.

The House also passed HF 2215, the Castle Doctrine, otherwise known as “Stand Your Ground.” This bill allows a person to use reasonable force to defend themselves or others against an attacker. It also provides protection from civil and criminal suits for those who legally use reasonable force to protect themselves or others.

This week I visited with the Jones County 9-12 group. They met with Governor Branstad and shared some of their thoughts and concerns with him. They thoroughly enjoyed their time here, including a tour of the Capitol and dome.

The House passed four important budget bills this week. They include Justice, Judicial, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Economic Development. All four have been sent to the Senate for consideration.

There will be a public hearing on Education Reform this coming Monday, March 5^th, in the House Chambers. Everyone is invited to attend. You can also watch online by going to the Iowa Legislature website and clicking on “live house video.”

Iowans support House Republicans’ Property Tax Plan

A recent Iowa poll by the Des Moines Register showed widespread support for the House Republican Property Tax Plan. One of the questions, and the response to it by the public was revealing:

Question:

A trade-off the Legislature is considering is about tax rates on commercial property. Reduced rates might make Iowa more attractive to business, and would also mean lower tax revenues for cities, counties, and schools. Do you favor such an approach?

60 percent of Iowans said they favored cutting commercial property taxes, even if that meant lower revenues for local governments.  Cleary, the public understands that governments at all levels need to spend less and free up the private sector for investment, growth and job creation.

The Register Poll showed support for this concept across political lines:

70% of Republicans

60% percent of Independents

47% of Democrats

House Republicans passed a bold plan, and the majority of Iowans support this effort.  73 percent said this plan would attract businesses to come to Iowa, and motivate existing employers already in Iowa to add jobs here. This is exactly why House Republicans pursued this legislation.

This plan is not only good for all taxpayers in Iowa, but the people of Iowa have spoken and they want action.  Iowans have indicated that the House Republicans’ plan to provide broad based tax relief to all classes of property is what they want.  The taxpayers of Iowa now have a seat at the table.

Forbes Magazine Names Des Moines as Second Best City for Jobs

This week, Forbes magazine released its list of top cities in which an individual should look for a job. Des Moines was second on that list; only behind Washington, D.C. Forbes cited high household incomes and a low unemployment rate as the primary reasons for the ranking. The magazine also stated that projections from Moody’s Analytics estimate that employment in the Des Moines area will see an increase of 8.6% over the next four years, which would translate into 36,000 jobs.

The story referenced a number of Iowa employers including John Deere, Pioneer, Kemin Industries in the ag/biotech area.  These businesses are providing thousands of Iowans jobs. Forbes also lauded Des Moines’ ability to retain big downtown businesses during the downturn such as Principal, Wells Fargo, and Meredith as other big cities across the nation lost downtown jobs and haven’t been able to recover them.

Governor Branstad set an ambitious goal of creating 200,000 new jobs and increasing the wealth of Iowa families by 25 percent. If the projections that Forbes makes are accurate, Des Moines could play a very large role in helping to achieve those goals.

Justice Systems Budget Passes House with Bi-Partisan Support

Tuesday night, House Republicans proposed a Justice Systems Appropriation Bill that did just that. By a vote of 69-30, House File 2335 passed the house and is now waiting for action in the Senate.

House File 2335 spends $504.5 million from the General Fund. The money appropriated in this budget is used to cover costs of the Attorney General, the Department of Corrections, Community Based Corrections, the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, State Public Defender, Board of Parole, Department of Public Defense, Department of Public Safety, Gaming Enforcement, and the Civil Rights Commission. All budgets are the same as FY12, except for the Attorney General and the Civil Rights Commission, both of which were reduced by 10 percent. The impact on both of these groups is expected to be minimal.

House Republicans worked hard to ensure that needs of all departments were met within the budget target. It’s difficult to get bi-partisan support on budget bills, but HF 2335 was supported by 13 Democrats who agreed that the House Republicans’ budget was the right course of action.

It is now up to the Senate to review HF 2335 and determine if they will meet the House recommendations or propose a different budget. If the Senate does not agree with the House the bill will be sent back to the House for further negotiation.

If you have any comments or questions about any of the issues here or others that come to mind, please do not hesitate to contact me by email at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515)-281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein

Recap of Week 7

With funnel week this week, all the committees have been busy getting their necessary bills through and ready for debate on the floor. If a bill doesn’t make it through committee this week, it can no longer be considered this session.

On Tuesday I had the chance to greet members of Manchester’s Good to Great program. They are advocating a river project to make white water rapids in the Maquoketa River, which runs through Manchester.                    

The Jones County Farm Bureau also visited the Capitol on Tuesday. I took time to hear their thoughts and concerns about the gas tax and tax reform.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

The General Assembly and Governor Branstad have to make a business decision regarding investing $5 million (a small portion of the estimated total $18 million reconstruction and restoration costs) in rebuilding the dam at Lake Delhi.

One of the key considerations for the Iowa House is the impact on the Maquoketa Valley School District’s education system, and how much additional money the state would have to spend through the school aid formula to replace lost property values. The Lake Delhi Community accounts for 20% of all of Delaware County and a substantial portion of the School District property tax base.

Let me explain how the destruction of the dam has and will affect the state’s general fund.

Currently, the State of Iowa provides about half of the cost of educating our young people through the School Aid Formula. This formula has three parts: a basic property tax levy of $5.40, State Aid that brings each school district up to a statewide average of 87.5% of the average per pupil cost statewide and a second property tax levy that generates the final 12.5% of funding. Iowa spends an equal amount on each child as the courts have ruled (currently about $6,000 per pupil).

Maquoketa Valley generates more property tax money because the Lake Delhi Community makes it a “property rich” district in terms of assessed valuation. Without the dam, property values of the Lake Community have dropped nearly 40% and are expected to continue to decline.  This will mean the state has to put more money into the school district. It also means Maquoketa Valley property tax payers will have to pay more property taxes to make up for the lost Lake Community value.

This is projected to cost the State of Iowa approximately $300,000 to $500,000 for every year going forward; or the state can make a one-time $5 million investment to restore the dam and maintain the property tax base for the school district. From a budget perspective, it makes more sense for a one-time investment, rather than paying more money going forward forever.  This is truly a pay me now or pay me more, later issue.  I hope you can support the appropriation.

House Approves Senate Changes the Prison Supplemental Bill

On Tuesday, the House approved Senate File 2071, the FY 12 supplemental appropriations bill.   

When the Senate initially approved the bill, $8.5 million was appropriated to the Department of Corrections.  The bill also created a third round of funding available from the Mental Health Risk Pool ($5.0 million).  The Senate approved the bill on February 1 on a 26-23 party-line vote. 

The House approved the bill for the first time on February 15 on a 96-0 vote.  The House reduced the supplemental to the Governor’s recommendation of $6.5 million and off-set the appropriation by reducing the appropriation for Medicaid by $6.5 million.  The House also changed the risk pool language to only allow for the first two tiers of counties to be eligible for the additional mental health funding.

On Monday, February 20, the Senate approved the bill for a second time.  The House agreed to add $1 million for prisons and CBCs, which went to the following institutions as follows:

• Rockwell City Prison — $86,998          Clarinda Prison — $187,387
• Mitchellville Prison — $216,965           Fort Dodge Prison — $196,961
• CBC District 2 — $130,853                  CBC District 4 — $25,498
• CBC District 5 — $155,338                      

In addition, the Senate appropriated $7.2 million from the Economic Emergency Fund (EEF) to restore the standing appropriation to the Property Tax Relief fund for mental health services.  This is needed to prevent a $7.2 million property tax increase due to approving a two-year budget last session.

Finally, the Senate amendment removes the provision that county MHMRDD committees are not required to submit a three-year strategic plan by April 1, 2012 to DHS, since the Legislature is in the process of overhauling state mental health services.

The House approved the Senate amendment on a voice vote and approved SF 2071 on a 95-0 vote.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these topics or any others please feel free to contact me by e-mail at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515) 281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein

Recap of Week 6

We had the honor of hosting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Wednesday night at the Capitol. I had the pleasure to visit with Wang Lei, Vice Chairman of Beijing Kings Nower Seed S&T Co., LTD. in China. Overall, the night was a great experience and very enjoyable.

On Wednesday we had an incredible presentation in Agriculture Committee from Trent Loos. Mr. Loos is a Midwest farmer that hosts a radio program and writes a blog pertaining to rural America and Agriculture. He touched on several different topics including the importance of nitrates in the human body and the importance of agriculture and technology education. He emphasized how new technology in agriculture has provided for higher yielding crops and more food availability. If interested in learning more about Mr. Loos, you can visit his website at www.loostales.com.

This Saturday, the 18^th, there will be a forum at the Maquoketa Valley REC in Anamosa at 9:00 as well as at City Hall in Monticello at 11:00. As always, the forums are open to the public and I encourage anyone to come and share any thoughts or concerns you may have.

Next Saturday, the 25^th, I will be meeting with the Dubuque and Delaware County Farm Bureau at Country Junction in Dyersville at 10:00 am.

House Republicans Pass Historic Property Tax Reform and Relief

Tuesday House File 2274, the only property tax proposal that delivers significant tax relief and genuine reform to all classes of Iowa’s property tax payers, passed the Iowa House.  

Iowa currently has the 2^nd highest commercial property taxes and the 16^th highest residential property taxes in the country.  Additionally, over the last ten years, school property tax collections have increased 60 percent, counties have increased 64 percent, and cities have gone up 74 percent.  Over the same time period, Iowans’ personal income only grew by 46 percent.  

If nothing is done, the hardworking taxpayers of Iowa are staring down the barrel of a $2.5 billion property tax increase over the next 10 years, with the majority of that falling to homeowners. 

Now is the time for real, genuine property tax relief and reform for ALL Iowans.  This bill will put money back in the pockets of Iowa families and job creators.

Property tax reform also affects Iowa’s economy and is an impediment to putting people back to work.  The Republican plan further provides an emphasis on smaller, Main Street, entrepreneur-type employers.  It creates predictability and stability for all employers.

Highlights of the Republican plan include:

ALL Iowans receive tax relief and there is no shifting of burdens to any one class of property

Job creators receive a $602 million property tax cut

Homeowners receive a $417 million property tax cut

Republicans’ proposal offers a total of $1.2 billion in relief for Iowa property taxpayers

The plan proposed by Democrats results in a $2.5 billion property tax increase, with $1.69 billion of that falling on the backs of homeowners.

According to public polling, Iowans favor broad based property tax relief proposal, similar to the Republican plan, by a 2 to 1 margin over a targeted tax credit plan, similar to the Democrat plan.

This will be the fourth property tax reform proposal the House has sent to the Senate for their consideration.

Trees for Kids Grant Application for Spring 2012 Now Online

Trees for Kids and Trees for Teens are tree education and planting programs targeted to Iowa’s elementary and secondary school students. The goal of these programs is to educate students about the value of trees and to encourage tree planting projects at schools and other public areas around the state.

The competitive grants awards range from $1,000 and $5,000 for qualified tree planting projects on publicly owned property.  All trees for the spring grant must be planted by May 31, 2012.

These trees can help cities, counties and schools to increase their urban canopy and increase the urban forest diversity in order to prepare for Emerald Ash Borer and Gypsy Moth.

For more information, visit: www.iowadnr.gov/Education/ForTeachers/EducationTrainingPrograms/Trees for KidsTeens.aspx

Utilities Board Set Hearings for Public Input on Electricity Rates

For the first time in years, MidAmerican Energy Company is seeking a rate increase for electricity rates.  The company is expected to file for a rate increase of 3-4 percent in the next few weeks.  This would be the first electric rate increase for MidAmerican customers in 16 years.  In preparation for this request, the Iowa Utilities Board has set up 6 meetings around the state to take input from MidAmerican customers.  The dates and locations are:

February 23, 2012 – DES MOINES – Utilities Board Building, Hearing Room, 1375 E. Court Avenue
February 28, 2012 – DAVENPORT – Modern Woodmen Park, Suites 10 & 11, 209 S. Gaines Street
March 1, 2012 – WATERLOO – Petersen Town Hall, Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial Street
March 6, 2012 – SIOUX CITY – Briar Cliff University, 3303 Rebecca Street, Stark Student Center, Clare Room
March 8, 2012 – IOWA CITY – Johnson County Fairgrounds, 4261 Oak Crest Hill Road SE, Montgomery Hall
March 13, 2012 – COUNCIL BLUFFS – Council Bluffs Public Library, Rooms A & B, 400 Willow Avenue

Mental Health Redesign Bills Start Moving in the Iowa House

After months of public discussion and interim committee meetings, the House Human Resources Committee has begun work on three pieces of the legislation that will redesign Iowa’s mental health and disability services system.

House Study Bill 623 is the product of the DHS/Judicial Branch work group that has been in existence for several years.  In 2011, the group was tasked with addressing a number of issues related to the interaction of law enforcement, the Judicial Branch, and the mental health system.  The group put together a series of recommendations ranging from on-going mental health and disability services training for law enforcement officers, the ability of residential care facilities to determine whether or not to accept people referred to them by the court, and clearing up conflicts within the Code on which mental health professionals may be involved in the commitment process. 

The change that may have the most immediate impact within the bill is a change to all pre-assessment screening for all individuals considered for commitment.  The screening is usually done at a local health care facility, like a hospital or mental health center.  Under current law, this screening is only allowed when the clerk of court office is closed.  This means a person going through the commitment process during work hours may have to go to one of the four mental health institutes before anyone assesses their current condition and service needs.  Allowing the pre-commitment screening at any time will help reduce the number of long trips that sheriff departments must take to the MHI’s or psychiatric units.

House Study Bill 624 is significant in length, but simply does one thing.  The bill strikes references in the Code to “mental retardation” and replaces that term with “intellectual disability”.  There has been a national push by a variety of disability advocate groups to make this term change.

The final bill, which is expected to be released on Wednesday afternoon or Thursday morning, will be the main redesign bill.  It will track many of the recommendations proposed by the Department of Human Services.  These include:

• Transforming the management structure for mental health services from a county-based system to regions;
• Changing the basis for determining financial responsibility from the rule of legal settlement to a determination of residency; and
• Establishing core services that will be available throughout the entire state.

One new element in this bill is the issue of future funding for the system.  Under the language passed in Senate File 209 last year, the current mental health levy is phased out at the end of FY 2013.  The statewide amount generated by the current levy is $125 million.  The House study bill will call for a four year phase out to begin in FY 2014, with the state providing dollar for dollar property tax relief

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about these topics or any others please feel free to contact me by e-mail at lee.hein@legis.state.ia.us or by phone at (515) 281-7330.

Sincerely,

Lee Hein