Featured Stories

–Proposed AEA bill would create ‘more chaotic, less equitable’ system

–After tax reform in Iowa, local governments look to fill budget gaps

–Homeless counts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City show mixed results

Episode Transcript

 You’re listening to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast on Monday, February

5th, 2024. This podcast provides the latest headlines from the

Gazette newsroom. I’m Becky Lutgen Gardner.

Thousands of Iowans continue to rally to support Iowa’s area education agencies. They’re responding to a bill introduced by Gov. Kim Reynolds that would overhaul the agencies.

But while AEAs provide valuable resources and training to educators and families across Iowa, many say they have room for improvement.

One is how they serve the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. That was just

one message shared with 12 legislators and about 100 parents, students and

educators at a forum at the Educational Leadership and Support Center in Cedar

Rapids on Saturday.

Several of the 30 people who spoke at the forum said deaf and hard-of-hearing children’s needs are not being met — and sometimes are ignored — by AEAs.

Vania Kassouf, a deaf advocate and virtual instructor in American Sign Language, told

legislators that Grant Wood AEA uses limited and outdated expertise for deaf

children. She supports AEAs' services for children with

special needs but says deaf education should be separate from special education

John Speer, chief administrator of Grant Wood AEA says the AEAs are “not a perfect

agency,” and getting people together to discuss additional updates is essential.

But he adds if the governor’s updated bill is enacted, “what we’ll have is a

more chaotic, less equitable and a more expensive system.”

The most recent version of Gov. Reynolds' proposed bill would allow

schools to opt out of the AEAs’ special education services and seek them elsewhere.

A Senate subcommittee advanced the bill last Wednesday. But Republicans

said the bill would likely see changes.

House Republicans declined to advance the bill out of

subcommittee, saying they wanted further conversation before acting on it.

In other news, many Iowa cities and counties are struggling to comply

with a state law signed last May. It was intended to relieve taxpayers from

increasing property assessments driving up their tax bills

The bill passed with bipartisan support after property assessments — increased

by an average of 22 percent statewide in 2023.

The law limits the amount local governments can acquire by taxing a

growing tax base. The law was meant to prevent cities and counties from seeing

a tax windfall from rising assessments. 

But those cities with growing populations, new housing, and industries

are trying to figure out how to extend public services to more people without

being allowed to use that money.

Many city projects are being delayed or cut entirely due to the changes.

Swisher City Clerk Tawnia Kakacek says,

“Any time you cut taxes, you have to...