(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Public Health released new COVID-19 data Monday showing a continued decline in positive tests and hospitalizations. IDPH data shows 6,812 positive tests in the last seven days, down from 7,389 at last report on Friday. Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is also down from 8.8% to 8.6%. The number of Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19 dropped from 575 to 562. Of those hospitalized with the virus, 77.1% are unvaccinated and of those listed in intensive care with COVID-19, 83.2% are unvaccinated.

The health department reports 26 long-term care facilities with virus outbreaks, unchanged from Friday. There have been 3,577,968 vaccine doses administered in Iowa, with 67% of those 18 and older fully vaccinated and 69.4% of those 12 and older with at least one vaccine dose.

(Radio Iowa) – The top Republican in the Iowa Senate says every Iowa taxpayer should get an income tax cut, but Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver of Ankeny says the ultimate goal should be eliminating the state income tax altogether.) “Right now, there are about eight states that do not have an income tax. There’s another eight states that have said: ‘We want to get on a path to no income tax.’ And I would like Iowa to be included in those states that say: ‘Ultimately the goal is to get to nothing,” Whitver says. “How you do that is difficult. It takes time, but that should be the goal, to get rid of our income tax.”

A century ago — in 1921 — Iowa was the first state in the country to impose a cigarette tax, then in 1934, the Iowa legislature enacted a statewide sales tax and a state tax on income. Democrats say tax cuts should be targeted toward working Iowans rather than an across-the-board reduction that would benefit wealthy Iowans and corporations. Whitver says Republicans will pursue broadbased tax reform. “We wealthy Iowans work, too,” Whitver says. “We want it to apply to every Iowan and that’s what we’ve done over the last five years is cut taxes for everybody.”

In 2018, Republican lawmakers passed a tax reduction package that Democrats warned was fiscally irresponsible and would lead to underfunded schools and reduced state services. “This is a bobsled to bankruptcy is what they kept saying,” Whitver says. “In fact, the exact opposite is true.”

The state had a more than one billion dollar surplus when the last fiscal year ended on June 30th. Republicans say that should be returned to taxpayers. Whitver says getting rid of the state income tax can’t happen in one or two years, but a flat tax on income — without any deductions or credit — might be the first step. “It’s a good idea. It’s fair. People understand it,” Whitver says. “…We have a tax code that’s a mess with credits and exemptions all over the place. We’ve had to straighten that out before we can really take the next step.”

Whitver made his comments during a recent appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S. Iowa State University economist Peter Orazem says if the state income tax is eliminated, the state sales tax would have to be raised substantially. He says Iowa’s property tax rates are a bigger deterrent to economic growth than Iowa’s income taxes.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies arrested Adam Dennis Letts at around 5:10-p.m., Monday. Letts was arrested on a valid Bremer County warrant for driving while barred. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $750 cash bond. Deputies arrested 40-year-old Kyle Danny Mitchell, Jr., of Omaha, at around 9:40-p.m. Monday, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Mitchell, Jr., was being held on a $300 bond. And, 53-year-old Gregory A. Riley, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 11:50-a.m. Monday, for Obstruction of Emergency Communications. Riley’s arrest followed an investigation into an incident reported in Coburg that was reported to law enforcement. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

And, the Red Oak Police Department Monday, reported the arrest of 44-year-old Chrystal Rush Stewart, of Red Oak. She was taken into custody Monday morning on two Red Oak Police warrants for Theft 5^th Degree. Stewart was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $600 bond.

The Glenwood Police Department, Monday, said two people were arrested on separate charges, Sunday. 46-year-old Steven Howard, of Glenwood, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond, until seen by a magistrate judge.

And, 27-year-old Jacob Crouch, of Glenwood, was arrested Sunday for OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000.