(Radio Iowa) – The 11-week shut down of the 2020 Iowa legislative session due to the pandemic delayed a debate about tax policy that’s likely to be front-and-center of the 2021 session. Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, a Republican from Ankeny, said “I’ve said this many times, but as long as I’m the leader of the Senate and as long as we’re in the majority, we’re always going to continue to work on tax relief.” Whitver says Senate Republicans want to pursue an “aggressive” reduction in taxes.

“What that looks like and what the details are is still to be determined,” Whitver says. “We have really taken some big steps over the last four years to improve our tax climate. We’re not where we need to be yet.” The ultimate goal for some Republicans would be the elimination of the state income tax. Whitver suggests this year’s target is reducing the tax rate.

“Reducing the individual income tax is really important because it not only affects every single person in the state of Iowa, it also affects most of the businesses in the state of Iowa because most of the businesses don’t pay a corporate tax,” Whitver says. “They pay the individual income tax and so when you’re talking about pro-growth, pro-job policies, individual income tax is at the top of the list.”

Last February, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds proposed a 10 percent reduction in income taxes, along with a one percent increase in the state sales tax to find more money for water quality projects and mental health services. Whitver says a sales tax hike has been and will continue to be a hard sell. House Speaker Pat Grassley of New Hartford says the Republican-led legislature passed the largest tax reduction package in state history in 2018 and he says it’s critical to craft a state spending plan with enough in reserve to trigger the next round of cuts outlined in that 2018 law.

“From my perspective that is the number one priority when it comes to tax policy. I’m sure there are other pieces that come up. We’ve had some child tax policy that we’ve been working on,” Grassley says. Grassley says legislators also are waiting to see whether Governor Reynolds proposes the same “Invest in Iowa” package she did last February, or if she makes major adjustments. “We have to be careful to rush to judgement on anything we’ve seen in the past until we’ve seen what the new proposal may look like,” Grassley says. “We have 14 new members that haven’t even seen the old proposal, let alone if there’s something new.”

Democrats say they’ll push for specific legislation to help Iowans get through the pandemic. Representative Jennifer Konfrst, a Democrat from Windsor Heights who is the assistant House Minority Leader, says “We want to make sure we’re focused on long-term recovery efforts to get the economy rolling again. We want to make sure we’re using aggressive plans to help families, businesses, schools and health care workers recover over the next several years.”

“We don’t feel like it’s one or the other. We feel like Covid recovery works toward building Iowa’s economy and building a better life for Iowans,” Konfrst says. “It’s all just part of the same process, so we see this as a long term goal and one that we look forward to working with Republicans on accomplishing.” The 2021 legislative session begins next Monday, January 11th.

(Radio Iowa) Five of the six Iowans serving today (Monday) in the U.S. Congress were sworn into office yesterday (Sunday). Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Des Moines from West Des Moines, has started her second term in the U.S. House. Axne stood on the Capitol steps and recorded a statement that was posted on Twitter.

“I am looking forward to getting to work for Iowans once again, making sure that we address the issues, of course, with Covid and get people back to a health state and put money in their pockets,” Axne said. “Of course we’ve got to make sure coming out of that that our country can thrive.” Axne is the dean of the Iowa delegation since the other three representatives from Iowa are all starting their first terms in the House.

First district Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion posted a video on Twitter that she recorded as she walked toward the capitol. “I’m so excited. I’m ready to serve you, spent my day today getting my office up and running,” Hinson said. “We’re taking as many calls as we can already.”

Fourth district Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, issued a written statement, saying on he looks forward to finding conservative solutions that will create a booming economy for taxpayers. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa — from Iowa’s second congressional district — was sworn in as a provisional member of the House. Democrat Rita Hart is asking a House committee to order another recount in the second district race after Miller-Meeks won by just six votes.

Miller-Meeks, in a written statement, said in congress she’ll do her best to help Iowa workers and businesses get back to work and get children safely back to school. On the Senate side of the U.S. Capitol, the vice president administered the oath of office to Republican Joni Ernst, who has started her second term in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Charles Grassley stood behind Ernst as she was sworn into office, but didn’t take the oath. Grassley has two more years remaining on his 7th term in the U.S. Senate.

One person was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Sunday, following a snowmobile accident in Page County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 48-year-old William Stephens, of Shenandoah, was operating a 2003 Arctic Cat snowmobile south in the west ditch of Northwest Road at around 2:41-p.m., when the machine went out of control at the intersection of Day Street, and struck a light pole.

The accident remains under investigation. Shenandoah Police and Rescue assisted at the scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:25 a.m. CST

VINTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of an 84-year-old man in a small eastern Iowa town. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said James Howard Bright was found dead Saturday morning inside his home in Vinton, Iowa, after the sheriff’s department was called to check on him. Vinton is a town of about 5,000 people that is located about 30 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids. Authorities did not release any details about the circumstances of Bright’s death, but they said it is being investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and the Iowa State Patrol. No arrests have been announced.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died after several shots were fired into a home where a New Year’s party was being held. Police said Sunday that Mia Alexis-Marie Kritis of Sioux City died after the shooting early Friday morning. Police said multiple guns were fired into the home during the shooting. Four other people were injured in the shooting, but police didn’t identify them because they are all juveniles. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the department encouraged witnesses to come forward.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man with a gunshot wound died shortly after his arrival at a Cedar Rapids hospital early Sunday morning. Cedar Rapids Police said the man was brought to the hospital by a private vehicle around 2:15 a.m. Sunday. The man’s identity wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. Police did not release any details about the shooting Sunday. No arrests were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines attorney is suing several police officers and the city over their response to racial justice protests in May. The class-action lawsuit seeks to represent anyone arrested or assaulted by Des Moines officers during a protest May 31. Attorney Gina Messamer alleges in the lawsuit that officers illegally arrested and pepper-sprayed people protesting the death of George Floyd while he was in the custody of Minneapolis police. The lawsuit alleges the officers’ actions violated protesters’ free speech rights and were meant to deter future demonstrations. Des Moines officials did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City police have identified the 18-year-old woman who died after several shots were fired into a home where a New Year’s party was being held. Police said Sunday that Mia Alexis-Marie Kritis of Sioux City died after the shooting early Friday morning. Police said multiple guns were fired into the home during the shooting.

Four other people were injured in the shooting, but police didn’t identify them because they are all juveniles. None of their injuries are believed to be life-threatening. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and the department encouraged witnesses to come forward.

COUNCIL BLUFFS – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man convicted in Cass County of Robbery in the 2nd Degree, escaped from the Council Bluffs Residential Facility early Sunday morning. Courtney Derrell Bennett is a 46-year-old black male, six-feet three-inches tall. He was 178 pounds.

Courtney Derrell Bennett

Bennett was admitted to the work release facility on September 16, 2020. Persons with information on Bennett’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Bennett was convicted on the Class C felony robbery charge in Dec. 2013. He had been arrested that year in connection with the armed robbery in Aug. 2013, of America’s Best Value Inn in Cass County.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A man with a gunshot wound died shortly after his arrival at a Cedar Rapids hospital early Sunday morning. Cedar Rapids Police said the man was brought to the hospital by a private vehicle around 2:15 a.m. Sunday.

The man’s identity wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. Police did not release any details about the shooting Sunday. No arrests were reported.

A woman driving a 2019 Toyota RAV 4, claims the “Lane Assist” feature in her vehicle caused the SUV to leave the road Saturday night near Yale, in Guthrie County. Authorities say 43-year old Denise Katherine Beadle, of Jefferson, was traveling west on Highway 141 at around 8:30-p.m. As the vehicle was rounding a curve heading northwest on the highway, Beadle told Deputies the lane assist feature took control of the wheel out of her hands because it was directing the car westbound instead of allowing her to take the curve around.

The vehicle left the road and ended-up in a ditch in an area between the curve and main highway. Beadle was uninjured. Her vehicle sustained $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

Four people were transported to the hospital following crash Saturday afternoon, in Carroll County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2008 Dodge passenger car was traveling west on 170th Street at around 12:40-p.m., the same time as a 2015 Chevy pickup was traveling east. When the car crested a hill, it was left of the center line and struck the pickup in a head-on/ sideswipe fashion. Afterward, the car came to rest in the north ditch. The pickup rolled over once and came to rest on its wheels in the opposite ditch.

Authorities say the driver of the car, 26-year old Tyler Mattingly, of Fort Dodge, was flown by helicopter to Methodist Hospital. Two passengers were also flown by Unity Point helicopter to Methodist Hospital: 25-year old Jacob Lawler, of Wall Lake, and 21-year old Jordan Downs, of Denver, CO. One other passenger, 22-year-old Aubri Roper, of Paton, was transported to Saint Anthony’s Hospital by ambulance.

Authorities say a distracted driver was a possible factor in the collision, which remains under investigation.