Ragan Report

Working with a tight budget
    It’s more necessary than ever that Iowa takes every possible step to preserve educational opportunity in our schools. The new budget proposal significantly reduces funding for preK-12 initiatives and, in some cases, eliminates popular programs.
    I cannot support unnecessary cuts that threaten the quality of Iowa education. It’s the worst thing we could do for Iowa’s future. I will, however, look for any possible way to help our students and schools.
Here are two approaches we’re working on this year:
    1. Flexibility in using school funding. I was proud to support HF 564, which adds to the expenses allowed under various categories of funding. This will help schools use limited funding effectively. Similarly, HF 565allows some unused funds to go into a “Flexibility Account” to be used in a broader fashion to achieve the goals of the original funding.
    2. Greater authority for school boards.HF 573allows school districts broader powers similar to those that city and county governments have.
    These bills won’t overcome the struggles created by years of inadequate state funding, but they may help our schools better manage the limited dollars they have to work with. 
    Efforts this year to balance the budget have included many bad ideas. Breaking promises made to IPERS members may be the next bad idea on the list.
    The Iowa Public Employees Retirement System(IPERS) is a retirement plan used by many teachers, nurses, police officers and firefighters, and other local and state public employees. Their monthly contributions and contributions from their employers are invested and managed by a non-partisan board. Those investments provide 70 percent of payments to retirees.
    IPERS is in good financial shape and is nationally praised for its non-partisan, long-term approach. This January, Governor Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds acknowledged this, saying, “It’s the long-term performance that’s important and indicates financial health. IPERS is secure, strong and sustainable.”
     Sen. Amanda Ragan (D-Mason City) serves Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties in Senate District 27. She can be reached at (515) 281-3371 or (641) 424-0874. Email her at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.