Koelker, Bradley highlight 2024 Legislative Session

     On Jan. 8, Iowa’s representatives and senators began the start of the 2024 Legislative Session.

   Jones County is served by Rep. Steven Bradley (District 66) and Sen. Carrie Koelker (District 33).

   The Express reached out to both Bradley and Koelker for their thoughts going into the new legislative season.

   (Editor’s note: The Express proposed the same questions to both legislators. Bradley’s legislative outline followed a different format, and can be seen at the end of the article.)

Q: As you attended various forums throughout Jones County, what priorities are your constituents wanting you to focus on?

   Koelker: I am hearing repeatedly their appreciation for our hard work and momentum on our tax relief. Inflation is at an alarming all-time high and Iowans can’t keep up. From the fixed income senior citizens to hardworking young families – everyone is living in fear.

   You (Kim Brooks) have covered the forum with the County Board of Supervisors, as well as the Monticello School Board by one of your work peers. Our property tax bill we passed last year has caused many local elected officials to make hard choices like we had to do at the state level, we had to sharpen our pencils.

   The Jones County Supervisors’ forum was highly elevated. Let me explain how the actual bill works. Every property tax bill is determined by how much local governments choose to spend, not assessments, taxable values, rollbacks or credits. A reasonable property tax growth rate would be one that is close to the combined percent change of inflation and the county’s population. If taxes are unreasonable, take advantage of public hearings to let your county supervisors know how you feel. Counties are the third largest part of your property tax bill, just behind school districts and cities. The current Jones County General Levy is $4.15, which ranks 81^st worst out of the 99 counties and so far ahead of the statewide average. In FY 2023, Jones County collected $9.43 million, while in FY 2024 they are collecting $10.61 million. That is a 12.5 percent increase in property tax collections in just one year.

Q: Do you foresee further tax relief for Iowans?

   Koelker: Absolutely! A consistent goal within the Senate caucus is increasing Iowa’s competitiveness and making our state the best to live, work, raise a family, travel, and retire. Iowa ranks 40^th in the country for property taxes and 10^th highest property tax burden in the U.S. Both statistics I and numerous elected officials are not proud of.

   There is no going back and our property tax system is broken. We are in a multi-year process of rebuilding the broken system into making sure we are fair and competitive. Iowans deserve that.

We have lowered the income tax rate from 8.98 percent to 6 percent with a reduction already set next year to 5.7 percent. We also eliminated the tax on all retirement income.

   In 2021, the legislature passed property tax relief for Iowans. However, 67 counties in Iowa, including Jones, did not pass that savings onto the property taxpayer. Amid rapidly increasing assessments, fears of the tax burden to come and confusion about where to turn, Iowans turned to the legislators and pleaded for assistance. We, in return, responded with HF 719, the most comprehensive and effective property tax reform in Iowa history. It had a solid bi-partisan vote of 149-1 representing all of Iowa-rural and urban.

   Many legislators are looking at Iowa’s Income Tax. A specific bill hasn’t been drafted or seen, so I am anxious to see what is being considered but I anticipate that being up for discussion.

Q: With Gov. Reynolds wanting to reassess AEAs in Iowa, why do you feel this action is needed/not needed?

   Koelker: This has been a topic that the media has severely embellished on with the AEA System. As all issues, many myths and rumors, non-accurate information is floating out there.

   I do believe this area needs to be researched. As good stewards of our taxpayer dollars, every program is evaluated. The AEAs serve a strong purpose, are running on a 50-year-old system that, to be honesty, is very administration heavy. We will continue to offer services but hopefully get a handle on the administration bloat so more funding can enhance and expand resources that are needed.

   I’m a firm believer in the AEA system, and actually used them personally. As any program, we have some bad actors in the equation and families that haven’t been in a comfortable situation with their AEAs. One of my former employees has had a very unfortunate situation within their family that caused much unneeded turmoil I witnessed first-hand with their IEP child. Another concern many of the legislators have is that some directors are making nearly $400,000 annually on the backs of the Iowa taxpayer.

   (The following are issues Rep. Bradley chose to highlight…)

   “This year, we have taken the concerns we have heard repeatedly from Iowans across all 99 counties and categorized them in four main themes: Improving Education Outcomes, Maintaining a Safe and Secure Iowa, Ensuring Iowa’s Strong Economy, and Keeping Government Transparent and Efficient.”

Improving Education Outcomes

   This session we will look into Iowa’s K-12 education standards to ensure they are setting our teachers and students for success, by doing this we will continue to work to empower teachers and get them the tools and compensation they deserve.

   Our higher education system has lost its mission nationwide. This session will be continuing work to ensure Iowa’s higher education institutions are solely focused on preparing our students to fill the jobs most needed here in Iowa and connecting them with internships and careers right here in Iowa, so they will stay in Iowa.

Safe and Secure Iowa

   This session we will prioritize a safe and secure Iowa with policies that get repeat offenders off the street. We support our police officers and value protection for them. I am introducing a bill that assaulting a police officer is a felony not a misdemeanor. This also makes Iowa a safer place to live.

Ensuring Iowa’s Strong Economy

   Bidennomics has hit Iowans’ hard. Thanks to a decade of responsible budgeting, our state is in a position to deliver significant tax relief that Iowans can feel the impact immediately.

   We are working on policies to make the process of starting a small business simpler without confusing red tape policies to hold Iowa entrepreneurs back. We will be focusing on policies to attract out-of-state businesses to come and do business and hire here in Iowa.

Keeping Government Transparent and Efficient

   Nursing home inspection

I believe this session. With the state paying roughly 50 percent of the costs of Iowa’s senior living system, the Iowa House needs to step up and protect Iowa’s nursing homes and health care institutions from being abused by out-of-state staffing agencies that are lowering quality and increasing costs. These issues will be addressed.

   Iowans expect a transparent state government that works for them. We will prioritize efficiency by working to modernize outdated IT systems and ensure government agencies make their information easy to access and understand.