Legislators dive into education and taxes at forum

State Representative Jarad Klein (R) and State Senator Sandra Greiner (R) sat down for their third and final legislative briefing of the year Saturday. The pair answered questions from their constituents for a couple of hours in the courtroom of the Washington County Courthouse.

Washington Schools Superintendent Mike Jorgensen asked the legislators about educational funding. He said he was unhappy to learn that the Legislature is considering tax cuts when his school district is strapped for cash.

?The frustration that I have is when I hear talk of as much as $300 million in tax breaks for businesses and corporations at a time when 2 percent allowable growth (for education) would only cost the state $70 million,? said Jorgensen. ?I?m having a hard time understanding the priorities there. I think even businesses and corporations would say that having an educated workforce is a higher priority for them.?

Jorgensen said if the state did not increase its education budget, it would mean one of two things for school districts: higher property taxes or fewer teachers.

Greiner told Jorgensen that cutting taxes does not necessarily mean less revenue. She talked about her experience as a freshman representative in 1993, when her Republican caucus proposed cutting taxes despite the fact the state was $400 million in debt.

?I didn?t understand how we would generate income, but we did,? said Greiner. ?Honestly, state revenues increased.?

Greiner said her No. 1 goal was to avoid an across-the-board cut in the middle of the year, which occurred in 2009.

?I would prefer to guarantee less money and be darned sure that my word was good,? said Greiner.

Greiner added that budgeting at any level of government is difficult because of the volatility in gas prices, owing to turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East.

?No one was planning on $5 per gallon gasoline,? she said.

Jorgensen replied, ?You haven?t told me anything that I didn?t already know. The frustrating thing is, we know those expenses are going to rise at the same time that we?re hearing, at least out of the House, that we?re not going to get anything for the next two years.?

Jorgensen said it is not as if the school has done nothing to control costs. The Washington School District laid off nine teachers in April 2010 because the district couldn?t afford them.

?Zero percent growth is going to make our situation even worse,? he said.

Klein said the best way to help schools is to ensure they will continue to be full of students, and the way to do that is to encourage job growth in the area.

?To create jobs, we need to get some tax relief out there so small businesses can thrive,? said Klein.

Adam Richards, who runs a business in the county and is on the Riverboat Foundation, said he was concerned about Gov. Terry Branstad?s proposal to increase casino taxes from 22 to 36 percent.

?My business is dependent on the patrons and the employees at the casino,? he said. ?If you increased my taxes one tenth of what you?re proposing to do to the casino?s, we?d be in the red. I don?t know how you can pull that kind of money out of someone?s business and employ the people they do and stay profitable. It?s also going to take $600,000 a year out of the foundation?s budget, which goes to local school systems and other groups.?

Klein said he shared Richards?s concerns.

?Our small communities have benefited greatly from the foundation,? said Klein. ?There are some issues I can?t see eye-to-eye with the governor on, and this is one of those issues.?

Greiner said she met with Branstad and told him she was disappointed in his proposal.

?I said I wouldn?t be able to support it, because supporting it would be a violation of my campaign promise,? said Greiner.

Louise Frakes of Brighton spoke in favor of expanding passenger rail service in the state.

?If everyone were using rail service instead of driving their own car with one person in it, we would be better off,? she said.

Klein spoke about a proposed rail line from Chicago to Iowa City, which would not be high speed but would be normal for rail lines, running at a top speed of 72 miles per hour. Klein said it would not be much of a time-savings for consumers.

?I have concerns about losing revenue in our own state, especially sales tax revenue,? said Klein. ?I don?t see anyone traveling from Chicago to Iowa City to shop.?

Klein said he is not supportive of the passenger line from Iowa City to Chicago.

Frakes responded, ?I?m not just talking about rail from Chicago to Iowa City, but all across our state. We could do something between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. Driving that is a madhouse. It?s like being in Colorado. It?s bumper to bumper. If we had public transportation to take those workers back and fourth, it would be advantageous for everybody.?