This week Governor Culver released his budget to Iowans. While the budget is smaller than in previous years, spending is still too high. The budget includes a $170 million dollar property tax increase that Iowa’s families and business simply cannot afford.
The Legislature will now get to work to determine the fine details of the budget. I will not support any bill which will ask for more from any taxpayer. We need to rein in government spending, set funding priorities, and place Iowa on a strong financial path once again. Employed and unemployed Iowans are counting on us to help improve the state of Iowa’s economy, not enact more regulations and taxes to pay for other programs.
Private business will be the real engine for economic recovery.
I am also calling on the majority party to set aside several job-killing bills. The Legislature has already wasted too much time on efforts to repeal Iowa’s Right-to-Work law and to allow doctor shopping in worker’s compensation claims. Again this week, a bill was introduced to repeal federal deductibility, which would be a huge tax increase as it would force us to pay a state tax on the dollars we send to the federal government. Any of these bills would be bad for business and workers.
