|
Your Capitol Voice: Slowly, two sides working on budget
Op-Ed · May 14, 2015
Another week has come and gone with no adjournment. On the positive side there has been incremental progress.
The House and Senate have passed most of their budgets. This means that most of the budgets are in a conference committee where 10 members (equally from the House and Senate and equally between Republicans and Democrats) will attempt to work out the differences. Many of you have contacted me in regards to some of the House budgets passed. Both House and Senate budgets are starting points for negotiations. I will make sure I speak to each budget Chair personally about any concerns you have expressed to me.
One budget that remains outstanding is the HHS budget. Deals are pending to keep the mental health institutions open for a while longer, and dollars are being sought to address the growing needs for mental health in this state. Many of you have also emailed me with concerns about the Governor’s move to privatize Medicaid in the state. From what I hear from both Democrats and Republicans, there is indeed some merit to the proposal but there are also some areas of concern. I have requested a litany of information from the Governor’s office. My main goals are that the state has the facilities to match the needs, the dollars to address the concerns, and that those of you who are in the field as mental health workers keep your jobs. Those of you who are working in the field are the backbone to Iowa succeeding in addressing mental health concerns. The case workers, social workers, nurses and a host of other dedicated professionals are on the front lines of service and caring. I appreciate all of the conversations I have had with so many of you.
On the education front there are whispers of an education deal forming. I do not have any details yet but it will likely be known in time for it to be in my column next week. I maintain that while I am happy we are nearing a deal it is absurd that it took us this long to get there. I spoke strongly in caucus about my desire that we set both the 2016 AND 2017 education funding THIS YEAR so that schools do not have to go through next year’s budgets with the same uncertainty as they did this year.
In closing, there is one bill that I am particularly excited about. On Wednesday, the House passed HF631 by a vote of 91-7. The legislation establishes a new chapter in Iowa Code entitled the Iowa First-Time Homebuyer Savings Account Act which is an effort to try to incentivize young people to save and plan for the single biggest purchase of their life—their first home. And we want that first home to be in Iowa. Specifically, the bill provides for the establishment of a first-time homebuyer savings account. The account holder must be a resident of Iowa. An account can be established individually or jointly with a spouse so long as both individuals are first-time homebuyers. The account must be an interest-bearing account. The bill now has to be considered by the Senate.
Capitol visitors: Becky Corbett, Stanwood.
You may contact Rep. Kaufmann at bobby.kaufmann@legis.iowa.gov, 515-281-3221 or 1527 330th St. Wilton, IA, 52778
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
