(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s popular Bottle Bill appears to be headed for major changes — or it may wind up on the trash heap. Key negotiators for House and Senate Republicans say the bottle and can redemption system has nearly collapsed and without adjustments this year, reform will likely shift to repeal in 2023. Under a plan that could be debated in the House this week, grocery stores would be able to opt out of the redemption process and Susan Collin, president of the national Container Recycling Institute, says that would make it harder for consumers to find places to take their empty containers to get their nickel deposits back.

“In short, this bill would turn what was a deposit into a fee for consumers who would be increasingly inconvenienced and de-incentivized from returning their containers and receive their rightful deposit back,” Collins says. “Meanwhile, distributors would get to keep additional unclaimed deposits as a windfall.” The wholesale distributors that deliver cases of beer, pop and alcohol to Iowa stores will keep an estimated 44 million dollars in deposits that aren’t claimed this year. Collins says the state should make it as easy as possible for consumers to get back the deposit they pay on each container.

“Consumers are just the ones left in the lurch here,” Collins says. All but one Republican in the Iowa Senate passed a bill to increase the fees paid to redemption centers and let retailers out of participating in the bottle and can redemption system. Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says it’s the first time in more than four decades a bill to make changes in the Bottle Bill has made it this far.

“We understand that there are some people that don’t like the Bottle Bill, but there are a lot of Iowans that do,” Whitver says, “and if it’s going to survive long term, we have to make some tweaks to it.” House Speaker Pat Grassley says there are ways to make the program work long term that are included in the plans being discussed by lawmakers.

“I think we’ve made as much progress in the legislature this year than we have in my time that I can remember in my time in the legislature and probably before that, so we want to make sure we do this right,” Grassley says. “We want to be able to negotiate with the Senate, find some common ground.” Democrats say the G-O-P plans under consideration this year will kill the Bottle Bill and reward grocery and convenience stores that have failed to follow current law and pay deposits on empty containers.

(Radio Iowa) – State tax collections are soaring — up nearly eight-and-a-half percent in the past nine months compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year. Jeff Robinson of the Legislative Services Agency says there have been increases in each of the main sources of revenue for the state.

“Individual income tax up 6.3%, sales and use tax up 9.7%,” he says, “and corporate income tax up 7.7%.” The state paid out 30 million dollars MORE in income tax refunds so far THIS year compared to the first three months of 2021.

“But it still very early in the tax filing season for any trend to be evident,” Robinson says. Iowa income taxes are due by April 30th. The tax cuts Governor Reynolds signed into law March 1st will start going into effect for the NEXT tax year. The immediate repeal of state taxes on retirement income and the first stage of reducing the income tax for individuals are projected to contribute to a nearly 15 million dollar in reduction in total tax payments to the state.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Republicans hosted a “Know Your Candidates” forum Monday evening, at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. The candidates answered questions with regard to Laws and Regulations, Energy and Labor, and of course, agriculture. Those candidates who spoke included; Senator Jim Carlin – Candidate for U-S Senate; State Senator Zach Nunn, Gary Leffler, and Nicole Hasso, Candidates for U-S House in the 3^rd District.

Nicole Hasso

Senator Jim Carlin

Gary Leffler

Senator Zach Nunn

There were also representatives from Senator Grassley’s office and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.Each candidate gave an opening statement before they fielded questions, including one from Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kauffman, who asked, regardless of who wins the June Primary Election, will each of the candidates support the nominee in the House 3rd District race. The answer was yes. Jim Carlin and Troy Bishop also answered “yes,” if they would support the respective Senate Primary winner.

The next question dealt with packer concentration, anti-trust laws and what can be done to protect animal agriculture. Nicole Hasso said there must be options for meat processing. She mentioned the Cattleman’s Heritage Beef Company, which is constructing a $325 million, 1500-head-per-day, state-of-the-art beef-processing facility in Mills County,

Senator Carlin said the farmer’s voice in agriculture can only be heard when there is an aggressive pursuit of anti-trust legislation

Gary Leffler, from West Des Moines, said he’s the only candidate who owns and operates a farm. He warned the new plant being built in Mills County will be “regulated to death,” by the regulators and bureaucrats.

Senator Zach Nunn suggested, with regard to the rising cost of health insurance, farmers and small business owners should consider pooling their insurance to lower costs.

He says “Let’s get government out of the way and lets let Iowans start choosing for themselves” what their best options are to lower the costs. And, with regard to the topics of energy and labor, each of the candidates were in favor of being more energy independent, by pumping more oil, and opening-up the Keystone Pipeline. Gary Leffler said the Left won’t be happy until “You’re eating a veggie burger and driving electric cars.

As far as labor, Senator Nunn said we have to secure the southern boarder and at the same time expedite the process for bringing in those who want to be here legally.

The next Cass County Republican Forum takes place in May, and primarily focuses on social issues.