Under the Golden Dome, Too

Putting the pieces together
     Some of the big pieces of this year’s session are beginning to fall into place and the Legislature is moving along efficiently. Committees and subcommittees are hard at work doing their business with the Iowans they represent in their minds. The Capitol has been full of Iowans each week and I’ve had many opportunities to speak with people from back home in while they’re visiting Des Moines.
     Last week, the House continued to move forward on an education funding proposal by passing an increased investment for our K-12 schools. The bill passed by the House provides schools with an additional $81 million in funding so they can invest in technology and curriculum needed to improve the classroom experience for students. When you combine this with an additional $53 million in funding for the Teacher Leadership Compensation system passed as a part of education reform in 2013, 84 percent of new available revenue will be going towards education in Iowa this session.
     In a budget year where revenue growth is slower than some have anticipated, House Republicans have made funding for schools our first and top priority. House Republicans have increased funding and support for schools each year since being in the majority, totaling over $500 million.
     Additionally, House Republicans have been able to follow through on each year’s funding commitment to schools. Past General Assemblies made an unfortunate habit of promising increases and failing to fulfill their promise, either by underfunding what was passed or even cutting money halfway through the school year. This forces school districts to shift those shortfalls to property owners by raising property taxes.
     While some have claimed that Iowa will see a mass layoff of teachers as a result of House Republican’s funding proposals, any rhetoric of that nature is simply unfounded. In fact, data shows that the number of teachers in Iowa classrooms has increased steadily each year that Republicans have been in the majority, and we have almost reached the level we were at prior to the across-the-board cuts to education during the previous Democrat administration.
     House Republicans are proud of the investments we have made in education and will continue to support our local schools. The education funding bill has been sent to a conference committee where a bipartisan group of House and Senate members will work towards a resolution. I’m optimistic that they will be able to find consensus quickly.
     Education funding wasn’t the only important piece of legislation passed by the House last week, however. On Thursday, the House passed a strongly bipartisan bill that will save taxpayers money by coupling our tax code with the federal government. The coupling bill, as it’s called, is good for nearly all Iowa taxpayers. 
     It helps small businesses – the drivers of our economy – by allowing them to make investments in their businesses so that they can grow and create more jobs in our communities.
     It helps teachers, who will be able to deduct out-of-pocket classroom expenses from their income tax.
     It helps homeowners by treating qualifying mortgage insurance like mortgage interest, allowing them to deduct that from their income taxes.
     It also helps parents and students by allowing them to deduct higher education expenses, reducing the cost of college and continuing education.
     It also ensures that taxpayers are given certainty on deductions when they file their taxes. The bill now awaits action in the Senate chamber.
     Please keep in touch. As legislation moves forward, feel free to send me comments, questions or feedback that you may have regarding issues before us in the House. I can be reached at linda.upmeyer@legis.iowa.gov or (515) 281-3521.