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Health issues take center stage in Legislature this year
By Steve Dunn/Gate City Managing Editor
This year will be remembered as the health session in the Iowa Legislature, state Rep. Phil Wise, D-Keokuk, told a legislative luncheon audience Friday in Keokuk.
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is expected to sign the Smoke Free Air Act this week. A compromise measure was passed by the House 54-45 and Senate 28-22. Both Wise and state Sen. Gene Fraise voted in favor of the final version of the legislation.
“This will put 95 percent of Iowa workers in a smoke free environment and save 450 Iowans every year over time (from dying from second-hand smoke),” Wise said.
Nearly 115,000 food service workers in Iowa have a 50 percent greater chance of dying from lung cancer than the general population, according to House Speaker Pat Murphy.
The smoking ban, which will take effect July 1, includes a few exemptions, most notably the gaming floors of casinos. Fraise said he voted for the Smoke Free Air Act only after receiving assurances that the casino floor exemption will be revisited in a year or two.
The Smoke Free Air Act carries penalties, including a $50 fine for smoking in banned areas. Employers or custodians of public places who fail to comply will face $100 fines the first time, $200 fines the second time in a year and $500 fines for additional violations in a year. Retaliation against an employee carries a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 per violation.
Wise pointed out a bill providing a statewide sales tax for schools passed the House last week. The School Infrastructure Local Option tax bill would replace the current one cent local option sales tax and help all Lee County school districts.
By 2014, the Keokuk School District could receive about $688,000 more from the state if the SILO bill becomes law, business manager Greg Reynolds said later. In 2010, the Keokuk district could get an additional $237,000 or so; about $607,000 more in 2013.
The SILO bill calls for all the sales tax money to be put into one “pot.” It would be distributed to school districts on a per pupil basis. While the measure would require school districts to use the revenue for specific purposes, counties could develop a new “revenue purpose plan,” which also would require voter approval.
It's unlikely any major steps will be taken this session concerning property tax reform in Iowa, both legislators agreed. Wise said a bill has been introduced in the House that would allow a few communities to experiment with other forms of revenue in exchange for property tax relief.
“But it will be difficult to pass with so little time left in the session,” Wise added.
Fraise then asked, “How do you replace those funds if commercial property owners get a break?”
Commercial property in Iowa is taxed at 100 percent of its assessed value, unlike residential property that has a rollback. Farmland is taxed based on its productivity.
“We need to shift to some place other than the property tax,” Wise suggested.
Even though no major action is expected in regard to property tax reform, an interim study committee will continue working on the issue, Wise said.
Wise also said the fate of a collective bargaining bill passed by both bodies of the Legislature is up to Culver.
“The governor's rejection after the House and Senate passed it was a complete surprise,” Wise said. “As of yet, Culver has not said specifically what he wants the Legislature to change.”
Iowa gave collective bargaining rights to public employees in 1974. The current legislation provides that terms and conditions of employment could be negotiated.
“It won't have any effect on school districts' spending,” Wise predicted. “Where it will have an effect is some shift of power in management's rights.”
Wise said a model core curriculum bill is hung up in the House.
“Some of us want to go further as far as standards and expectations for student achievement,” said the retired school teacher. “We haven't been aggressive enough in that area.”
Wise is not seeking re-election this year after serving 11 terms in the House. His plans for retirement from public life include continuing to operate his consulting business, which is associated with four larger consulting firms.
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is expected to sign the Smoke Free Air Act this week. A compromise measure was passed by the House 54-45 and Senate 28-22. Both Wise and state Sen. Gene Fraise voted in favor of the final version of the legislation.
“This will put 95 percent of Iowa workers in a smoke free environment and save 450 Iowans every year over time (from dying from second-hand smoke),” Wise said.
Nearly 115,000 food service workers in Iowa have a 50 percent greater chance of dying from lung cancer than the general population, according to House Speaker Pat Murphy.
The smoking ban, which will take effect July 1, includes a few exemptions, most notably the gaming floors of casinos. Fraise said he voted for the Smoke Free Air Act only after receiving assurances that the casino floor exemption will be revisited in a year or two.
The Smoke Free Air Act carries penalties, including a $50 fine for smoking in banned areas. Employers or custodians of public places who fail to comply will face $100 fines the first time, $200 fines the second time in a year and $500 fines for additional violations in a year. Retaliation against an employee carries a fine of $2,000 to $10,000 per violation.
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By 2014, the Keokuk School District could receive about $688,000 more from the state if the SILO bill becomes law, business manager Greg Reynolds said later. In 2010, the Keokuk district could get an additional $237,000 or so; about $607,000 more in 2013.
The SILO bill calls for all the sales tax money to be put into one “pot.” It would be distributed to school districts on a per pupil basis. While the measure would require school districts to use the revenue for specific purposes, counties could develop a new “revenue purpose plan,” which also would require voter approval.
It's unlikely any major steps will be taken this session concerning property tax reform in Iowa, both legislators agreed. Wise said a bill has been introduced in the House that would allow a few communities to experiment with other forms of revenue in exchange for property tax relief.
“But it will be difficult to pass with so little time left in the session,” Wise added.
Fraise then asked, “How do you replace those funds if commercial property owners get a break?”
Commercial property in Iowa is taxed at 100 percent of its assessed value, unlike residential property that has a rollback. Farmland is taxed based on its productivity.
“We need to shift to some place other than the property tax,” Wise suggested.
Even though no major action is expected in regard to property tax reform, an interim study committee will continue working on the issue, Wise said.
Wise also said the fate of a collective bargaining bill passed by both bodies of the Legislature is up to Culver.
“The governor's rejection after the House and Senate passed it was a complete surprise,” Wise said. “As of yet, Culver has not said specifically what he wants the Legislature to change.”
Iowa gave collective bargaining rights to public employees in 1974. The current legislation provides that terms and conditions of employment could be negotiated.
“It won't have any effect on school districts' spending,” Wise predicted. “Where it will have an effect is some shift of power in management's rights.”
Wise said a model core curriculum bill is hung up in the House.
“Some of us want to go further as far as standards and expectations for student achievement,” said the retired school teacher. “We haven't been aggressive enough in that area.”
Wise is not seeking re-election this year after serving 11 terms in the House. His plans for retirement from public life include continuing to operate his consulting business, which is associated with four larger consulting firms.
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