Iowa approves 3.47 billion budget with tax plan vote
The Iowa Legislature approved a 3.47 billion budget and a 1 percent sales tax increase expected to raise about 270 million in net revenue. The action funds a 101 million state worker pay package and establishes a 113 million cash reserve, signaling a shift toward deficits reduction and reform. Governor Branstad has a month to decide on the sales tax proposal as lawmakers face potential future spending cuts.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Des Moines
Senate
Bill Hutchins
D-Audubon
Bob Arnould
Davenport
Hutchins
Terry Branstad
House
Branstad
Arnould
General Assembly
Arthur Ollie
D-Clinton
House Education Committee
Iowa Enacts Broad Tax Hike and Wide Range Reforms
The measure raises the sales tax to 5 percent starting June 1 and allocates increased revenue to erase the state deficit by July 1 1995. It imposes spending limits, creates a 5 percent cash reserve, and moves toward proportional budget growth and earlier budget certification while expanding higher education funding and child and family services. The package includes criminal penalties for stalking, stronger hate crime penalties, youth offender programs, and expanded runaways shelters. It also tightens ethics rules banning lobbyist gifts, revolving door restrictions, supports ethanol incentives, REAP funding, pollution penalties, unemployment benefits expansion, health insurance access for small businesses, and streamlined state government.
Iowa Legislature Fails to Pass Major Governance Changes
A list of measures the Iowa Legislature did not enact includes creation of an independent ethics panel for public officials, tax freezes for cities and counties, slowing state revenue growth, reinstating the death penalty, abortion law changes, expansion of gambling, adding sexual orientation to civil rights protections, lowering bond approval thresholds, tightening or legalizing doctor-assisted personal crisis reports, universal health care, drug offense penalties, and a public referendum on prison construction. The document highlights the legislature’s inaction on these high-profile reforms.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
Legislature ends partisan session in Iowa
Iowa lawmakers wrapped a partisan budget and pay dispute marathon as the 74th General Assembly adjourned after a week of tense clashes. Senate Democrats leveraged procedural moves to counter Governor Branstad while talk of reform and ethics loomed over districts and a 1 percent sales tax increase.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Des Moines
Senate
Bill Hutchins
Daudubon
Dubuque
Joe Welsh
Iowa Trust Fund
Terry Branstad
House
al Sturgeon
Sioux City
Hutchins
Bert Priebe
D-Algona
Branstad
Priebe
Soft freeze on property taxes dies in legislative adjournment
Iowa debate on Gov Branstad's two year soft freeze for cities and counties collapsed as adjournment loomed. Senate refused House changes which pared the plan to a 1994 window with loopholes. Senate had earlier backed a growth limit excluding schools tied to inflation.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Rod Boshart
Des Moines
Terry Branstad
Senate
Bill Hutchins
D-Audubon
Iowa
Branstad
Jack Rife
Durant
House
Also Mentioned on This Page
By Rod Boshart
Gazette
Des Moines Bureau
Juvenile Justice
Ment
Sen
Eugene Fraise
D-Fort Madison
74Th General Assembly
Legislative
Cee
Town & Country Shopping
Wheldelerms Furniture and Accessories
Third Ave. S.E
Cedar Rapids
Midland
Midland Savings Bank
7Th Avenue
Marion
Edgewood Road
N.W
Highway
Mount Vernon Road
5.E
PDIC
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