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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
(Radio Iowa) – A plan to shrink Iowa’s personal income tax to one rate of three-point-nine percent by 2026 has cleared the Iowa legislature with the votes of 89 Republicans and four Democrats. The bill also eliminates the state tax on retirement income and creates a new tax break for retired farmers. Senator Dan Dawson, a Republican from Council Bluffs, says state tax revenues have soared above expectations and it’s time to seize the opportunity.
“Our state is charting a new way forward wherein, for the first time, we are treating all Iowans’ work fairly and equally by enacting a flat tax,” Dawson says. Representative Lee Hein, a Republican from Monticello, guided the bill through House debate. “We can deliver, tonight, the largest tax cut in Iowa history,” Hein said, “while continuing to deliver Iowans’ priorities.” Democrats say the state has excess cash on hand because of the influx of federal pandemic relief money. Others, like Senator Pam Jochum, of Dubuque, say a flat tax primarily benefit the wealthy — and trickle down economics doesn’t work.
“Whether you like it or not, this tax plan — the governor’s tax plan — is going to shift the tax burden to those who can least afford it,” Jochum said. Representative Lindsey James, a Democrat from Dubuque, says Iowans living paycheck-to-paycheck will get little, if any benefit. “It will take the average Iowan a century to receive the same tax benefits that the ultra rich will receive in a single year,” James said.
Democrats accused Republicans of rushing the bill through because Governor Kim Reynolds will be giving the Republican response to President Biden’s State of the Union Address Tuesday night. “Everybody knows why we’re debating this bill today, because our governor is going on the national stage next week, bragging about the tax bill.” That’s Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines who voted for the bill because it eliminates the tax on pensions and other retirement income.
Governor Reynolds issued a written statement last night, using words like bold and transformative to describe the bill, which she intends to sign in the next few days. House Speaker Pat Grassley says the bill sped through the legislature yesterday (Thursday) because it’s a priority. “We’re Republicans,” Grassley says. “We want to sustainably provide tax relief to Iowans.” Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, says the plan has been in development for six months and makes Iowa’s personal income tax rate fourth lowest in the nation.
“We have a surplus in Iowa and when Republicans have a surplus in Iowa, we’re going to give it back to the taxpayers,” Whitver says, “and so this is delivering on what we have told voters over the last year.” The bill sets up a mechanism that could shrink the state’s corporate income tax to a single rate of five-and-a-half percent, but the bill also reduces some business tax CREDITS that are refundable. Whitver says that’s a remarkable step forward. “There are lobbyists that are paid here to protect all those carve-outs,” Whitver says, “so it’s just a determination from the House, the Senate and governor to do what’s right and reform the system.”
Representative Dave Jacoby, a Democrat from Coralville, says reducing the state’s research activities credit may be the wrong move. “Research and development are so important in the state of Iowa,” Jacoby says. “…I think we’re taking from one silo and putting into another and rolling the dice.”
The centerpiece of the bill, however, is the reduction in personal income taxes. Republicans say every single Iowan will have more money in their pockets as a result. Democrats say a Department of Revenue spreadsheet indicates 30 percent of tax filers will not see any reduction in their income taxes.
(Radio Iowa) – Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already led to an increase in Iowa gas prices. Triple-A Iowa spokesperson, Meredith Mitts says the price of a barrel of oil went up — leading to the gas increase. She says oil went up five to seven dollars a barrel which is roughly a six percent increase and that translates into a ten to 15 cent increase at the gas pump.
Oil prices are hovering around the 100-dollar mark today (Thursday) — the highest price for crude since 2014. Mitts doesn’t know when gas prices might drop again.
“It’s a little too early to tell how long this is going to last. It’s going to depend heavily on the geopolitical tensions and how this conflict impacts the supply in an already tight market. Mitts crude oil prices will continue to be the key. She says gas prices will change accordingly with the change in the price of oil. Mitts says the supply of gas in Iowa is not the problem.
“That’s not a reason to rush out to the pumps or to go and try to fill up and store up on this — because we shouldn’t see much impact on our supply,” Mitts says. The Triple-A survey heading into today (Thursday) found gas prices averaged three dollars, 35 cents in Iowa. That price was up two cents from last week’s price and 70 cents higher than one year ago.
DES MOINES — Gov. Kim Reynolds today (Thursday) received notification that President Biden has granted her request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for 25 counties** (Including Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Mills and Sac) that were severely impacted by Dec.15, 2021, high winds, severe storms, and tornadoes. Storm damage in the 25 counties was estimated at $5.2-million. The declaration provides assistance to public entities and select nonprofit organizations.
Under the declaration, FEMA Public Assistance Program funding is available to eligible public entities and nonprofit organizations that were impacted by the Dec. 15 severe weather. Public Assistance funding may be used for emergency work, such as debris removal and emergency protective measures, or for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities.
The governor also received notification that the Presidential Disaster Declaration includes funding to conduct hazard mitigation activities for the entire state. With this funding, Iowa will be able to minimize the impact of future disasters by taking steps to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards.
**Counties included in the declaration are: Appanoose, Audubon, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cass, Cherokee, Davis, Emmet, Floyd, Franklin, Greene, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Howard, Humboldt, Mills, Mitchell, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Sac, Van Buren, Webster, Worth, and Wright. Storm damage in those 25 counties is estimated at $5.2 million.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Board met in-person at City Hall and via Zoom, Thursday evening (Feb. 24th). Their main order of business was to approve Sunnyside Pool season pass rates.
The Board voted to approve Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen’s recommendations, which includes:
Those rates were based upon comparisons with several other pools in similarly sized communities, with the closest comparison being Harlan.
Rasmussen said none of the city officials in those communities he’s spoken with have a sliding fee for low income families, and the Board agreed that would not be necessary in Atlantic, given the rates that were approved tonight.
Rasmussen said also, Kris Erickson (Code Enforcement Officer) is working on getting the online calendar synced-up to allow for online reservations and payment for campgrounds and park equipment.
Chart shows current & new rates; and rates in other cities, for comparison.
(Radio Iowa) – Democrats say the Republican tax plan making its way through the state legislature today (Thursday) gives the biggest benefits to the richest Iowans. Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls, of Coralville. “So for every dollar in tax relief that your average Iowan is getting, the ultra-rich are getting $112 in tax relief,” Wahls says, “so when Democrats say this plan rewards wealth, not work — that’s what we’re talking about.” Earlier this month, Wahls and other Democrats in the legislature proposed expanding the child and dependent tax credit and the earned income tax credit, to benefit low and middle income Iowans.
“If Republicans want to provide real, targeted tax relief for middle class families, they should accept the Democratic fair tax plan, but they don’t,” Wahls says. “They’re more focused on the ultra-rich who fund their campaigns.” Wahls says the G-O-P tax plan does nothing to address the state’s most pressing issue — its workforce crisis. “They are going to make it exceptionally difficult for our state to provide the essential services that everyday Iowans depend on,” Wahls says. “I would say that this plan is not fair, it’s out of touch and it’s completely disconnected from the lives of everyday Iowans.”
Senate debate began shortly after two o’clock this (Thursday) afternoon. Representative Dave Jacoby, a Democrat from Coralville, says it’s shocking the G-O-P picked this day for a massive tax debate. “I think everyone’s focus is what’s going on over in Ukraine right now,” Jacoby says. Jacoby says the lingering pandemic and Russia’s invasion make it difficult to expect the economy will grow as steadily as Republicans project.
(Radio Iowa) – House Speaker Pat Grassley says the agreement Republicans have reached to dramatically cut the personal income tax rate to just under four percent by 2026 includes a backstop if the economy dips. If state tax collections fall below expectations, money in the state’s Taxpayer Relief Fund would be used to fill state budget holes. “If there’s a revenue shortfall…it will make up the difference just through the mechanism that’s in place,” Grassley says.
The Taxpayer Relief Fund is expected to have two billion dollars in reserve by July. Withdrawals would happen if state tax revenue growth falls below three-and-a-half percent. Grassley says the state’s financial ledger shows tax cuts won’t lead to budget woes. “We have a billion dollar surplus. We have a billion in the Taxpayer Relief Fund. Our ‘rainy day’ and cash reserves are full at over $800 million,” Grassley says. Republican lawmakers passed tax cut packages in 2018 and 2021.
Grassley says taking an initial vote on the House G-O-P’s 2022 version eight days ago has provided momentum to this year’s tax cutting effort. “Before the session we said we were going to provide real tax relief for Iowans, we have an overcollection of their money and we’re going to get it back in their hands as quickly as possible,” Grassley says. “I think we’re showing that doing that in February, we were serious about it and we’ve followed through on those commitments.”
The plan Republicans intend to vote upon today (Thursday) includes a corporate income tax rate reduction, but it’s not automatic. If total corporate income tax payments exceed 700 million dollars, the corporate tax rate would be ratcheted down. “The mechanism that we’re going to work off of is the governor’s and I think it’s a very responsible plan,” Grassley says. “It make sure it maintains the state at $700 million worth of revenue, so you’re not going to see any drastic dips when it comes to revenue. You maintain that level and the growth over $700 million works to lower the rate.”
The governor’s proposal, unveiled in January, ultimately seeks to reduce the corporate income tax rate to five-and-a-half percent. The bill also reduces several refundable business tax credits by 25 percent over the next five years, plus the state’s research activities tax credit — the most generous in the country — would be cut in half during that time frame.
“From the House’s perspective, we feel very confident,” Graslsey says. “Not only are we right there where we wanted to be on the income and retirement pieces, we’ve also taken the holistic approach to looking at that corporate piece that we felt very strongly about.” The plan erases state taxes on retirement income. It also includes a tax break for retired farmers. The Senate is scheduled to debate the tax plan first, but the debate had not yet started by mid-afternoon.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says the situation in Ukraine is weighing very heavily on her heart after Russia attacked there today (Thursday). “We need to provide a unified front, and push back heavily,” Ernst says.”The repercussions should be very stiff economic sanctions, against Vladimir Putin, his cronies, and most of all, himself.”
Ernst hopes congress will be united in acting to support measures against Vladimir Putin and Russia to put pressure on them.
“What we’ve got to do is make sure that those who are out there touting green energy and shame on America for being such a big energy producer — they’ve got to get out of the way — we’ve got to ramp up energy production here in the United States. That’s how we ramp up pressure on Russia at this critical moment,” according to Ernst. The Red Oak Republican says that pressure does not involve direct military involvement, but our troops may play a background role. Ernst says military alliances come into play if Russia goes beyond Ukraine into other countries that are part of NATO.
“If Russia goes into a NATO country, an armed insurgency in another NATO ally, it does trigger Article Five and it does mean that the United States would respond,” Ernst says. Ernst says it is important to respond to provide assistance with Ukrainian refugees that will be pouring into other countries.
(Radio Iowa) – A high-speed chase Wednesday afternoon through Webster and into Calhoun County ended in a cornfield with an arrest and a car in flames. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner says it started when Archester Rodgers of Minnesota was clocked driving at 95 miles-an-hour on Highway 20 east. “The traffic stop was attempted and the driver made a U-turn to proceed back westbound on highway 20. At that point the chase was on,” Gardner says. “A trooper at one time used a pit maneuver to end the pursuit that directed the vehicle into the ditch.” Gardner says it wasn’t the end of Rodgers’ attempt to get away.
“He was still somewhat mobile, but then when he tried to drive through a cornfield, that’s when his car started on fire and became fully engulfed,” he says. Trooper Gardner says Rodgers is being held in the Webster County jail on active warrants out of Minnesota. He did not have an active driver’s license, and was charged with
eluding, possession of a controlled substance and some traffic charges related to the pursuit. No one was hurt during the pursuit.
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has announced the formation a new 11-member, bipartisan Auditors Advisory Group to assist in administration of the 2022 elections. The auditors represent urban and rural counties, offering unique perspectives from various areas of the state, and include three from southwest Iowa.
The members of Secretary Pate’s Auditors Advisory Group and the county they represent include:
Amanda Harlan-Monroe
Amanda Waske-Ringgold
Carol Robertson-Mills
Jamie Fitzgerald-Polk
Jennifer Garms-Clayton
Karla Weiss-Winnebago
Melissa Wellhausen-Page
Rhonda Deters-Grundy
Ryan Dokter-Sioux
Sue Lloyd-Buena Vista
Whitney Hein-Jones
Secretary Pate said “Overseeing elections in Iowa requires a team effort from all 99 counties, and these 11 auditors are recognized by their peers as leaders who will help ensure clean, smooth elections across the state. I value their insight and will listen to their input. Together, we will share ideas and best practices for the upcoming primary and general elections.”
(Radio Iowa) – A Montana man has pleaded guilty to scamming a Cedar Rapids derecho victim out of thousands of dollars. Fifty-seven-year-old William Hurlbut Junior of Belgrade, Montana pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and admitted he posed as a contractor following the August derecho in 2020. He promised a disabled Cedar Rapids man he would fix his derecho-damaged home and took a 10-thousand dollar prepayment.
Hurlbut also admitted to taking supplies he said were for the work and got refunds. and sold the man’s car without permission. He spent the money on gambling and personal items — and never did any work on the man’s house. He is awaiting a sentencing date.