(Des Moines)– A local state legislator is weighing in with his thoughts on the Governor’s Condition of the State Speech delivered this (Tues.) morning at the statehouse.
One of the key components of the Governor’s comments was with commercial property tax reform. State Representative Jeff Smith of Okoboji tells KUOO news he’s cautiously optimistic they’ll actually be able to accomplish something along that line this session…(click here for comment.) “I’m hopeful of that. You know we passed four bills out of the house last year that would have reduced property taxes for Iowans and we have bills drafted ready to go again so we’re hopeful the Senate will take that up and atleast get a debate on it so folks in Iowa have a chance to put their two cents worth in on it, you know.”
Smith isn’t saying much yet on the Governor’s eduction reform proposal…another major component of this (Tues.) morning’s speech…(click here for comment.) “Well, you know, it’s probably too early for me to make many comments on that plan just because it’s pretty recently been released. I’m sure there are going to be things that we see eye-to-eye on that we can go through and, you know, there’s a hundred members of the Iowa House and I’m sure there’ll be ideas that we have that we would like to put forward as well, so, you know, it’s the preliminary stages of everyone putting their proposals out and it’s our job to sit down as a group and try to get that hammered out.”
In addition to those issues, Smith says a lot of attention early on will be on the budget…(click here for comment.)
“You know, that we continue with our sound budgeting practices and stand under the principles that we not spend more than we take in. We do have a budge surplus because of those practices, so we’re going to need to determine what the best way is to effectively utilize those surpluses whether it be specific reform packages that we’re putting in place and I guess quite honestly finding a way to get that money back to the taxpayers. In my opinion that’s an over-taxation of the people in Iowa and we need to find a way to get it back to them, so that will be another big issue that will probably garner a lot of debate.”
Smith made his comments to KUOO news late this (Tues.) morning following the Governor’s speech.
