Newsletter for Thursday, April 21, 2016This was week 15 of the session and we are now past the 100 day mark. Our clerks have been let go, our per diem has ended, and many of our pages have also gone back to school. We have debated all of the budget bills that originate in the House this year ...
We are all familiar with Iowa's income tax system, with its nine income brackets, federal deductibility, standard deduction, and personal exemption. But how does Iowa's income tax system compare with the other 49 states in the nation? Nicole Kaeding of Tax Foundation has compiled data about ...
As we file our taxes each year, we all come to the question of whether to use the standard deduction or to itemize our deductions. Itemizing requires more paperwork, but can result in less tax owed. Scott Greenberg of Tax Foundation recently analyzed federal tax data for the 2013 tax year, the ...
Newsletter for Thursday, April 14, 2016I skipped publishing a newsletter last week due to the slow pace. However, we did lay a lot of groundwork for the budget, including setting the targets for the various appropriations bills.This week, week 14 of the session, the pace picked up considerably. ...
To help in the fight against domestic violence and ensure the safety of victims, the Iowa Senate unanimously approved two major bills.Each year, thousands of Iowans suffer abuse at the hands of their spouse, former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend. In 2014, Iowa had 13 domestic abuse murders-an ...
The portables need to be replaced. No doubt about it. It is my understanding that we are currently going to get a 9 classroom addition to the high school for a price tag of $5.7 million, with a potential of $2 million more of add ons up in the air. Just looking at the 9 classrooms at $5,700,000 ...
Prescription overdoses kill more Americans each year than all other drugs combined. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 44 people die from a prescription painkiller overdose every day.Though Iowa ranks 45th in the nation for overdose fatalities, the number of Iowa drug deaths--a ...
Iowa is one of the best states in the nation in terms of accessibility to the polls. Participating in the electoral process is a civic responsibility that I feel every eligible citizen should undertake. Throughout my tenures as Iowa's Secretary of State, I have worked vigorously to encourage ...
Newsletter for Thursday,March 31, 2016Work has been slow this week as the number of bills available for debate dwindles. Work on the budget continues as the House and Senate work to iron out the budget targets for the various departments.MedicaidTransitionIowa's Medicaid Modernization plan ...
CEDAR?RAPIDS- The personal financial support required by a person with Alzheimer's disease may ultimately deprive care contributors of basic necessities, such as food, transportation and medical care, according to the 2016 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report released today. Alzheimer's ...