Iowa Senate Democrats

Fighting for a Better Deal for Iowans.

  • Senate Democrat responds to Governor’s new tax plan

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 13, 2018

     

    DES MOINES — Senator Pam Jochum of Dubuque, the lead Democrat in the Iowa Senate on tax issues, responded to Governor Kim Reynolds’s tax plan.

    Although the news release from the Governor’s office leaves many unanswered questions, Jochum raised two red flags about the plan:

    • “This plan does not touch corporate tax credits, which is the fastest-growing part of the state budget. That’s a big, big mistake and it’s unfair to working families.”
    • “Any tax cut plan for Iowa must be viewed in light of disastrous tax-cut plans approved in Kansas and Oklahoma, which have resulted in massive cuts to education, public safety, health care and other vital services. In fact, Kansas abandoned failed trickle-down tax cuts and Oklahoma’s Republican Governor is actually proposing higher taxes to dig her state out a fiscal mess in the wake of massive tax cuts.”

    Last June, Jochum wrote a letter to Reynolds, offering to work with the Governor on a bipartisan tax plan.

    “During your inaugural speech, you signaled that you planned to build on your experiences in the Iowa Senate and how you want to work together to make Iowa a better place. After a session marked by extreme legislation pushed through in a partisan manner, that will be a welcome change,” Jochum wrote to the Governor.

    Even though the Governor never responded to the letter or reached out to Senate Democrats for their ideas, Jochum renewed her offer today to work in a bipartisan manner on a tax plan that meets these principles:

    1. Tax reform must be fair. Iowa’s tax system has a number of tax brackets in an attempt make the income tax system progressive so that those with lower incomes pay at lower rates. However, according to the Iowa Policy Project, when all state and local taxes are accounted for, Iowa’s lowest income earners pay the largest portion of their income in taxes. Changes to Iowa’s tax system should address this situation and not make this problem worse.
    2. Tax reform must make Iowa’s tax code more transparent so Iowa can show its true competitiveness to the nation. Iowa’s tax code has become a confusing collection of credits, deductions and exemptions that has left the state with high tax rates that do not accurately reflect the cost of living and doing business in Iowa. Our tax rates appear to be among the highest in the nation — but according to the Tax Foundation, the amount paid by Iowans through our tax system ranks Iowa in the middle of the pack.
    3. Tax reform needs to take into account our current budget situation. We just completed a legislative session where funding was slashed for nearly every part of state government, and there is no sign the situation will be improving next year. We must not repeat the mistakes of Kansas, which passed massive tax cuts that have resulted in a continual budget crisis where schools are underfunded and has forced the state to balance the budget by stealing from road funds and raising other taxes.
    4. Tax reform needs to examine corporate tax credits. We have cut state funding for vital state programs that serve some of our youngest and most vulnerable Iowans. So far corporate tax credits have been exempt from these cuts. We must determine if these corporate tax credits a good return on the investment and benefit Iowans, not just those few businesses.

    – End –

  • Republican Senators reject proposal to ensure students don’t pay price for harassment judgment

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release:  February 8, 2018


    DES MOINES – All 29 Republican State Senators today rejected a proposal to ensure that community college students aren’t on the hook for a sexual harassment judgment against Republican Senators and staff.

    Senator Herman Quirmbach of Ames offered an amendment today to a budget bill (Senate File 2117) that would have reduced the size of mid-year budget cuts proposed by Senate Republicans and restored $1.75 million to the state’s community colleges.

    The $1.75 million mirrors the amount of a settlement reached last year between Iowa Senate Republican leaders and Kirsten Anderson, a former Senate Republican staffer who was sexually harassed over a period of years at the Capitol. Instead of taking her seriously, Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix of Shell Rock fired Anderson seven hours after she filed a harassment complaint with Republican leaders.

    “We’ve heard from many Iowans who are not happy about paying the $1.75 million settlement,” Quirmbach said. “Today, I gave Republican Senators a choice. If they believed that that Iowa community college students should NOT pay for the bad behavior of the Senate Republican caucus, they could have voted YES! Instead, all 29 Republican Senators voted to keep community college students on the hook for the $1.75 million settlement against Senate Republicans.

    “Community college students and other taxpayers expect more from their leaders.”

    – end –

  • Water quality deserves a REAL solution

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: January 23, 2018

     

    Statement on House passage of SF 512
    from Senator Bob Dvorsky of Coralville,
    Ranking Member of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee

    “Water quality is a real problem that deserves a real solution. Senate File 512 is not a real solution.

    “This bill fails to ensure accountability through monitoring to measure whether the state is achieving the goal of cleaner water and healthier soils.

    “This bill falls also short because Republicans failed to work in a bipartisan manner and failed to seek input from farmers, environmentalist and other concerned Iowans. A bipartisan approach would have produced a better bill that would have been effective at addressing this serious issue.”

    -End-

  • New Iowa health care disaster approaches: End of hawk-i

    State of Iowa facing millions more in costs while kicking 44,000 children off health insurance

    DES MOINES  –  Iowa’s outstanding health insurance for children is at risk due to the Congressional failure to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Without federal action, the state of Iowa faces millions more in costs even though 44,000 fewer children would be insured.

    State Senator Nate Boulton of Des Moines, a board member for Iowa’s nationally praised hawk-i children’s health insurance program, called for “swift, firm, united action” after the organization’s Monday board meeting.

    “This crisis affects families in every county of this state. This is an ‘all hands on deck’ moment for Iowa’s elected leaders,” said Boulton. “In January, the Legislature should immediately approve a resolution officially requesting that Congress reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Then, we should all be urging Governor Reynolds to travel to D.C. to make that case to the House, the Senate, and President Trump.”

    On September 30th, Congress failed to reauthorize CHIP for the first time in the nearly 30 years of the program’s existence.

    There are two components to hawk-i, Iowa’s version of CHIP.  One covers the 16,000 Iowa kids enrolled in Medicaid expansion. They are the lucky ones in that they will continue to have health insurance for at least the next two years.  However, without a federal reauthorization of CHIP funding, Iowa’s state budget will be required to cover the shortfall. That will mean additional costs of $10 to $15 million per year to Iowa’s already troubled state budget.

    Things are much worse for the 44,000 Iowa children enrolled in Iowa’s nationally-recognized hawk-i program. Those children will lose their health insurance completely when funding runs out, something that is expected to happen this February.

    “We need swift, firm, united action to prevent a children’s health care crisis in Iowa,” Boulton said. “It’s this simple: If CHIP isn’t reauthorized, 44,000 fewer children in our state will have access to the high quality health care hawk-i provides.”

    -30-

  • Iowans are still paying price of failed GOP policies

    Iowa Senate News Release
    For Immediate Release: December 11, 2017  

     

    Statement on the updated revenue estimates by Senator Joe Bolkcom,
    Ranking Member of Senate Appropriations Committee

    “Economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility will only return to Iowa if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smarter investments in Iowa workers and their families.

    “With complete control of the Iowa Capitol, Statehouse Republicans adopted a my-way-or-the-highway approach to budget and policy decisions during the 2017 session. This meant that they ignored the voices of working Iowans who were begging Statehouse Republicans to keep their two biggest campaign promises: Raise family incomes by 25 percent and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs.

    “Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans continue to break those big promises and working Iowans – especially those in smaller towns and rural areas – are paying the price.

    “Senate Democrats remain ready to work with legislative Republicans and the Governor on a mid-course correction that will restore fiscal stability to our state budget by investing in successful job-creation initiatives and taking a serious look at out-of-control spending on tax credits.”

    – 30 –

  • Senate Dem Leader to top Senate Republicans: “Release sex harassment findings”

    Senate Democratic Leader Petersen’s request for the public release of the Iowa Senate Republican sexual harassment investigation.

    In the wake of  a $1.75 million settlement, Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen today called on the top two Senate Republicans leaders —  Senate President Jack Whitver and Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix — to release to the public the findings of their internal investigation of sexual harassment.

    Here is the text of Senator Petersen’s letter to Senator Dix:

    Dear Senator Dix:

    I am writing to request that the findings of the internal investigation by the Senate Republicans of sexual harassment be released to the public.

    As you know, the Legislature received a black eye this summer and fall after a Polk County jury delivered a $2.2 million verdict against Senate Republicans stemming from a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former staffer Kirsten Anderson. (Subsequently, the Iowa Appeals Board approved a $1.75 million settlement.)

    Since the taxpayers are on the hook for this $1.75 million settlement, the findings of this investigation should not be kept secret. Releasing the findings of your internal investigation would be a first step in making sure the Legislature is a safe and welcoming environment for all employees, protecting Iowa taxpayers, and protecting the rights of those who raise concerns about harassment.

    Sincerely,
    Sen. Janet Petersen

    Senate Democratic Leader

     

    PDFs of each letter are below.

    Petersen request to Senate Republican Leader Dix for the public release of sexual harassment investigation findings

    Petersen request to Senate President Whitver for the public release of sexual harassment investigation findings

  • Will broken promises increase your property taxes?

    The table below is based on information from the Iowa Department of Management. Next to each city is the amount that city would lose if the State of Iowa fails to fund the property tax backfill.

    Senate Democrats encourage you to tell Governor Reynolds and Iowa’s Republican legislators to keep their promises. If they don’t, property tax increases and cuts in local services are sure to follow.

    This is an alphabetical list of counties, school districts and cities. Use the search box at the top of the table to filter your results.

    Here are some news stories on the issue.

    [table id=18 /]

     

    Related News

    CR Gazette: The state should backfill its promises

    Waterloo Courier: Local governments may lose property tax ‘backfill’ money

    Daily Gate City: Keokuk out $1M if ‘backfill’ removed

    DM Register: Reynolds won’t commit to maintaining $152.1 million ‘backfill’ payments to local governments

    Carlisle Mayor Randleman: Property-tax backfill helps communities of all sizes

  • Latest revenue estimates show Republican policies continue to damage job growth and economic opportunities

    October 19, 2017 

    Statement on the updated revenue estimates by Senator Joe Bolkcom,
    Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member

    “Since 2010, Statehouse Republicans and then-Governor Terry Branstad have made two big promises to Iowans: Raise family incomes by 25% and create 200,000 new Iowa jobs.

    “Today’s updated revenue estimates are more evidence that Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans are continuing to break those promises to Iowans. That’s bad, bad news for Iowa families and their communities, especially those living in smaller towns and rural ares.

    “The bottom line is that economic prosperity and fiscal responsibility will only return if Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators start working in a bipartisan way to make smart investments in Iowa workers and their families.”

    –    end –

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  • Iowa taxpayers’ money going to pay for GOP misdeeds

    Iowa Senate News Release
    Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg: (515) 281-3901
    For Immediate Release:  September 28, 2017

     

    Reaction by Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg
    to Iowa taxpayers’ money going to pay for GOP misdeeds

    “Iowans are rightfully disgusted by the harassment, discrimination, and retaliation against Kirsten Anderson and other legislative staff.

    “They are outraged that their tax dollars are going to be used to pay $1.75 million because of the misconduct and mismanagement by Republican Senators.

    “When a jury delivered the verdict against Senate Republicans in July, I called on all Senators to work together to fix this problem. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans have ignored the calls for action and Iowa taxpayers are paying the price.”

    – end –