By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)
The 2023 Iowa legislative session ended early this afternoon.
Over the past four months, the Republican majority approved a series of GOP priorities like state funding for private school expenses and curbs on what books are allowed in public school libraries, A bipartisan property tax relief plan cleared the legislature this week.
“We wanted to work on school choice. We wanted to work on parental empowerment,” Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver told Radio Iowa. “…We really wanted to work on property taxes knowing that the huge assessments were coming. I think we were able to get all of those things accomplished, so it was a very, very successful year.”
House Speaker Pat Grassley began talking about school choice in 2020 and he told reporters with 24 new Republicans in the Iowa House this year, the plan came together. “We try to make commitments and follow through with those things that we tell Iowans we’re going to do,” Grassley said, “whether it’s on the campaign trail or whether it’s when we show up here for the first day of session.”
Democrats say Republicans have left $2 billion in the taxpayer relief fund and even more tax revenue remains unspent. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst said it could have been used on key priorities, like water quality.
“We could be investing in public schools. We could be doing more for mental health in this state. We could be doing more for the issues that Iowans can about with those resources,” Konfrst said. “Instead, they’re sitting in an account, so that the governor can brag about having a big account.”
Senate Democratic Leader Zach Wahls told reporters the GOP pursued “divisive” policies this year. “Republican poured gasoline on the flames of the culture war by undermining and politicizing Iowa’s public schools…banning books from school libraries,” Wahls said,” and attacking the freedoms of parents and the LGBTQ community.”
This afternoon, Governor Kim Reynolds signed the property tax changes that passed the legislature this week with the support of Republicans and nearly all Democrats. Lawmakers say the goal is to ensure this spring’s assessments don’t lead to massive property tax increases in September of next year.
Reresentative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Democrat from Ames, says Republicans are hoarding three-and-a-half billion dollars in the taxpayer relief fund and even more in other reserves.- “This is a hoarding problem,” she said. “We are stockpiling taxpayer dollars. This money belongs to the taxpayers. There are lots of ways we can give it back to the taxpayers through quality services — a high quality public education, public safety, clean water.”
