‘New energy’ – Lawmakers face questions on taxes, child care

Iowa lawmakers have started the new legislative session with a “new energy” to improve the state, perhaps lower taxes, improve child care opportunities and make the state more business friendly, according to Iowa Rep. Mike Vondran, R-Davenport.  “There’s a heightened desire to move forward on many, many fronts. Our ears are open. … But we […]

Iowa lawmakers have started the new legislative session with a “new energy” to improve the state, perhaps lower taxes, improve child care opportunities and make the state more business friendly, according to Iowa Rep. Mike Vondran, R-Davenport.  “There’s a heightened desire to move forward on many, many fronts. Our ears are open. … But we need your input,” Mr. Vondran said Friday morning, Jan. 17, before a crowd of about 100 people gathered for the Iowa Legislative Kickoff Forum presented by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce.

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Mr. Vondran, who represents House District 94, was one of eight area state lawmakers to take part in the session and breakfast meeting at St. Ambrose University’s Rogalski Center in Davenport. The forum also featured Rep. Ken Croken, D-Davenport, House District 97;  Rep. Dan Gosa, D-Davenport, House Dist. 81; Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, House Dist. 93; Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen, R-Walcott, Dist. 41; Sen. Scott Webster, R-Bettendorf, Senate Dist. 47; Sen. Cindy Winckler, D-Davenport, Senate Dist. 49, D; and Rep. Monica Kurth, D-Davenport, Dist. 98. Friday’s forum is part of the 2025 Legislative Event Series presented by the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors included: AM General, The Associated General Contractors of the Quad Cities, Arconic, Constellation, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and St. Ambrose University. The forum, held as a question-and-answer session, largely featured economic development questions and comments. One of the top questions centered on property taxes. Lawmakers were asked about possible plans to cut taxes, and the impact tax cuts will have on local governments that will be faced with less money to offer services. Mr. Mohr said that he understands the property tax issue represents a careful balance because he knows local governments need money to buy police cars, firetrucks and provide other services that are getting more expensive all the time. But he also hears many stories and concerns from voters who say high property taxes are hurting Iowans. In many cases, those stories come from retired Iowans who are on a fixed income and face increasing property tax bills. “I hear from them all the time, and they say ‘I’m afraid we will lose the house,’” he recounted. Mr. Mohr also hears from farmers who tell him about corn being under $4 a bushel, and how they can’t afford higher taxes. “Everyone of us has related stories like this that we have heard back home. … Our constituents are hammering away at us and saying we’ve got to do something with property taxes,” he added. Mr. Mohr said that lawmakers don’t have a specific plan to lower property taxes. He wants to hear more stories from voters on their views on the issue. Other lawmakers said the tax issue is complicated. Ms. Kurth said cutting property taxes could have “unintended consequences” because it could hurt education efforts in the state. Mr. Webster added that he understands some of the complications of the property tax issue because local governments need the tax money. However, he said that some local governments need to be more efficient in their spending. Some of the other issues discussed included:

• Interstate 80 – Expanding the interstate to six lanes from Iowa City to the Quad Cities: Mr. Mohr said he has had several talks with Iowa Department of Transportation Director Scott Marler on the issue. He added that the IDOT boss said that the interstate expansion work is moving forward. Part of that ongoing work includes the expansion of bridges along the interstate in Cedar County. Mr. Mohr added that the IDOT director, though, has not given him a completion date on the I-80 project. Mr. Gruenhagen added that in recent years highway and interstate expansion projects have been hurt and slowed because of inflation and the increased costs of construction materials.
• Child care – Improving the economy and putting more people to work by providing more child care: During her recent Condition of the State message, Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed creating a statewide child care solutions fund that will allow individuals and businesses to donate to increase child care workforce wages. The statewide program would build off of the model established by the Iowa Health and Human Services department pilot program of nine regional funds launched November 2023 that allowed the state to provide a 2:1 match for regions’ funding. Several lawmakers on Friday said that move is a step in the right direction. Some lawmakers, such as Ms. Winckler, called for more public-private partnerships to create more and less expensive child care so more Iowans can afford to join the workforce.
• Economic development – Investment and site preparation to leverage regional growth:  The chamber and local members of Congress recently celebrated President Biden’s inking of a game-changing ONSHORE Act that will boost infrastructure investment and site preparation to leverage regional growth. On Friday, lawmakers said they are open to passing more legislation to help economic development and site preparation for businesses in the state. But several of them said suggestions to lawmakers need to be organized. “Groups need to come together and decide what you want. .. A scattered approach won’t work,” said Mr. Mohr. In addition, Mr. Croken added that the “need for action is urgent” because Iowa has one of the slowest growing economies in the country.

After the hour-long forum, several audience members said they liked what they heard from the lawmakers. “I think they are going to have important issues to work on, whether it’s child care or economic development. … I think they’re going to have a busy session,” said John Riches, community relations manager for Arconic in Riverdale. An Illinois businessman at the forum said he liked the team approach the lawmakers appear to be taking. “Iowa seems to be moving forward. …The lawmakers here today seem to be working together,” said Scott Lohman, an owner of the the insurance company, Lohman Companies in Moline. The forum marked the first of several meetings scheduled with area lawmakers. The Illinois Legislative Kickoff Forum is set for 8 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Bally’s Quad Cities in Rock Island. The lawmakers invited include: Sen. Li Arellano Jr., R-Dixon, Dist. 37; Sen. Neil Anderson, R-Andalusia, Dist. 47;  Sen. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, Dist. 36; Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-East Moline, Dist. 72; and Rep. Dan Swanson, R-Alpha, Dist. 71. The Iowa Mid-Session Forum is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday, March 28, at the Rogalski Center.