(Radio Iowa) – Republicans in the Iowa House have passed their plan to shrink the personal income tax to a single rate of 4% and erase the state tax on retirement income. It’s nearly identical to the plan Republican Governor Kim Reynolds unveiled in January, with the exception of her proposed reduction in the corporate income tax. “This is a historic tax bill that will change the climate in the state of Iowa for years to come,” said Representative Lee Hein, a Republican from Monticello who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

House Democrats offered an array of alternatives, but each was rejected by Republicans, including the idea of altering the GOP’s schedule tax rate reduction schedule — to speed up tax cuts for low and middle income Iowans. Representative Charlie McConkey, a Democrat from Council Bluffs, unsuccessfully argued that the Earned Income Tax Credit should be raised. “This tax credit rewards work, not wealth,” McConkey said.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights, said the GOP tax proposal helps the wealthy, “helps them first, helps them most and helps them best and that is not what we should be doing here in Iowa.” Representative Dave Jacoby, a Democrat from Coralville, said the bill leaves out Iowans who are struggling to make ends meet. “This bill is Republican socialism and sends the middle class taxpayers’ dollars to the ultra rich,” Jacoby said, “to the millionaires.”

House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, a Republican from Missouri Valley, pointed to the state surplus, with an expected $2 billion in a taxpayer relief fund by July. “Iowans overpaid. That’s their money, not ours,” Windschitl said. “…This is not going to stop us from funding the priorities of Iowans. This merely means that we’re not doing that in a way where we have a bloated government bureaucracy and growing government at an unsustainable rate.”

Three Democrats joined with all the Republicans present to approve the House bill. House Speaker Pat Grassley said today’s vote shows tax relief is the number one priority for Republican legislators. “We’ve been clear since the beginning of session we have the money to pass a tax cut without raising a tax on others,” Grassley told reporters, “and that’s what we just followed through with.”

Senate Republicans have released their own, more expansive plan that includes a corporate tax reduction along with a mechanism that could ultimately wind the state income tax down to zero.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans on a House committee have voted for a bill that would ban mask mandates and any future vaccine mandates in schools — including colleges, as well as in businesses, non-profits and government agencies. Republican Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs says the bill prevents discrimination and protects personal medical information. “The people of Iowa want action on this,” Jacobsen says. “…They’ve lost their jobs. They’ve lost their livelihoods.”

The bill would forbid employers from firing a worker because of their vaccination status. All the Democrats on the panel voted no. Representative Bruce Hunter, a Democrat from Des Moines, says it’s a dangerous bill. “We’re a country torn apart not just by a virus, but by conspiracy theorists who fundraise and demagogue that wearing a mask at the grocery store will somehow lead to the rebirth of the Third Reich,” Hunter says.

The bill is now eligible for debate in the full House.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, received a Housing Committee report from several of the Committee’s team leaders. Former City Councilperson Kathy Somers, who Chairs the group, said because of the progress that’s being made by the Committee to address the housing needs, the City is eligible for a $10,000 grant. If the grant is received, the Council will have to follow-up and put the funds to good use, with regard to housing initiatives, etc.

Somers said the 26 member Committee was formed after a task force was established by the Atlantic Community Development Group in November, 2020. She credited long-time Atlantic resident and businessman Bob Camblin with kick starting the initiative because, as he said, “housing is a very important issue.” Somers said the Committee divided into several working groups, each tasked with different aspects of finding ways to fill the housing gap in Atlantic.

The groups included: Land Subcommittee, lead by Christina Bateman; Infill lots, lead by Baily Smith; Home Builder Recruitment, under the Direction of Randy Watts; Housing Rehab Program, lead by Rylea Anderson, and the City-lead initiatives group, under the directive of Heather Santi-Brown. Most of the group leaders were present to a brief description of what they have done so far, and continue to work on accomplishing.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council approved a joint Airport Road/Bridge rehab project with Cass County, and the plans and specifications for the Bull Creek Improvement Project. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm report said the Army Corps of Engineers threw-in some last minute additions, but the City can still solicit bids for the work and does not need a revised permit. The work includes reshaping the banks of the creek, installing “rock ripples” to allow for the formation of silt to eventually, and naturally raise the stream bed.

Tree removal and trimming along the creek will take place soon, under a separate contract. Sturm said also, a couple of culvert outlets will be fixed, replacing a culvert where the trail crosses Buck Creek, and replacing a portion of the Buck Creek Trail. The project is still coming in at under $500,000, with the bids expected to be received by the first week of March. A public hearing on the project is set for March 16th.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council also set March 16th as the date for a Public Hearing on a proposal to enter into a General Obligation, Solid Waste Management Loan Agreement (and to borrow money) not to exceed a principal amount of $90,000. That’s with regard to the City’s 28-E agreement to support the Cass County Landfill. The Council’s meeting on March 2nd will include a public hearing on the Maximum Tax Dollars.

And the Council approved the renewal and updating of a City Clerk Services Agreement with the City of Marne, extending the services for five-years, with a $150 increase in the fee for each of the five years. Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick said the City has been providing City Clerk services to the City of Marne for the past two-years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, Wednesday evening, administered the Oath of Office to the City’s newest Police Officer. Anthony Snyder comes to the City from Lake City, Iowa (in Calhoun County). He completed the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy last August 28, 2021. He hails from California, where he was a manager for The Walt Disney Company.

He has two girls, ages 14 and 11, and is looking for a house in Atlantic. Snyder said he’s ready to go, and said of his fellow officers, “It’s a very great team we have.”

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett administers the Oath of Office to Anthony Snyder. (2/16/22)

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs report that at around 1:45-p.m. Wednesday (today), officers responded to 1030 Veterans Memorial Highway, the Casey’s gas station for a robbery call. Prior to officers arriving at the scene they were informed that the suspect had fled the area on foot, southbound from the business. The suspect was described as a Hispanic male wearing a mask, blue hoodie and gray pants.

The suspect was said to have displayed a knife during this incident and took several items from the business. Officers arrived in the area and were unable to locate the suspect. Criminal Investigations detectives arrived at the scene and are conducting the investigation into this robbery.

There were no reports of persons involved being injured, the suspect is currently at large and the identity is unknown. Anyone with any information that was in the area at the time of this incident is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 712-328-4728 or they may call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s Attorney General has reached a settlement with a Florida company that was accused of sending mailers that appeared to be from government agencies. Attorney General Tom Miller says Centurion Filing Services and owner Dean. Marshlack used the name “IA Certificate Service” to send out mailers that looked like invoices requesting 67 dollars for an “Iowa Certificate of Existence. ”

The Iowa Secretary of State provides them for only five dollars. The certificates are not required to do business in Iowa, although companies may need them to do business out of state. Centurion has agreed to provide nearly 79-thousand dollars in refunds to more than 12-hundred Iowa business owners and charity operators — and will also not send mailer solicitations to Iowans or from any Iowa location.