The Dickey Dispatch

Typically, the main focus of the last month of session is taxes and spending. The Republican-controlled state legislature has continuously worked to ensure that money is kept in your pockets and not the government’s greedy hands. This week, I attended a luncheon hosted by Iowans for Tax Relief. While here, Grover Nordquist (who is the founder and President of Americans for Tax Reform) delivered a presentation which showed the incredible progress Iowa has made and continues to make to improve the tax well-being of our nation. While states such as New York have imposed tax burdens of over 12% to pay for bloated government programs, states such as Iowa are making bold moves to be a leader in lowering government's greed. The steps have not always been easy, but the rewards of historical budget surpluses that are being used to offset the lowering of your personal income tax to a 3.9% flat tax (and hopefully lower) are worth the effort.

One of our biggest tools to protect your money, is Senate Study Bill 3189 which recently advanced through the Ways and Means Committee. This bill will put a flat tax into the Iowa Constitution. This will protect the fair and flat tax provision regardless of the political climate. Earlier this year, another proposal advanced that required a two-thirds supermajority vote to increase tax rates in Iowa. These proposals are part of our comprehensive goal to ensure tax relief for Iowans remains in place. Individuals and families will benefit from the increasing level of protection found in this bill.

On Tuesday, a large group of Farm Bureau leaders from Jefferson County visited the Capitol to discuss a variety of farm related bills currently in the Senate. I was also blessed to have a group of students from Oskaloosa Christian School. They asked some great questions about how government works and the specifics of my youth driving bill. It was GREAT hearing their stories because I believe the best education comes through hands-on experience. While here at the Capitol, you can learn the history of how our state was founded, the importance of civic engagement in our culture, and the impactful policy issues of the day.

On Wednesday, the Iowa Pork Producers visited the Capitol to celebrate National Agriculture Day. It is amazing that Iowa has more than 5,400 pig farms in the state and they were here advocating for policy to help farmers. I have continued and will always be an advocate for our farmers who sacrifice so much to feed our state, stock our grocery stores, and support their families.

As I pen this edition of the Dickey Dispatch, I see some snow flurries outside. Gosh, let’s hope for green grass, not white ground, for Easter next Sunday!