SPM News

041719 532IS Iowa Senate Republicans are including more money for property tax relief in a bill that extends the statewide sales tax that helps pay for school infrastructure. Democrats opposed the Senate Republicans’ proposal but supported the overall bill. Senator Joe Bolkcom is a Democrat from Iowa City. 0417bolkcom2: 18 “We’re making a big decision with this amendment to take money that would go to infrastructure and we’re going to give it to property tax relief and that’s maybe a worthy goal

041719 504 Congressman Steve King today responded to a campaign contribution made by former Governor Terry Branstad to one of his challengers. State Senator Randy Feenstra from Hull is one of three Republicans trying to oust King. He brought in four times more campaign cash than King during the first three months of this year. One of the donors is Branstad, who is now the U.S. Ambassador to China. “He’s over there in China. I hope he’s putting more energy in the Chinese trade deal than primary

041719 432 Iowa U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst say flood control should be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ number 1 priority in managing the Missouri River. At a Senate field hearing in Glenwood today the corps of engineers defended it’s handling of this year’s historic flooding, saying, last month’s weather was so extreme that flooding could not have been prevented. Local and national leaders joined forces today to try and come up for solutions for homelessness and substance

041719 404 Republicans on an Iowa Senate committee have changed a bill extending a statewide sales tax for school infrastructure to allow more of that money to go to property tax relief. Extending the SAVE tax is a priority for public schools. The House of Representatives has already passed a version that gives more property tax relief than the current SAVE law, but the Senate doubled the House proposal. Iowa’s two U.S. Senators say flood control should be the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’

A summit is taking place today in Sioux City to tackle the issues of homelessness, substance abuse and mental health concerns for the Siouxland Community. The event is hosted by the Siouxland Street Project and the Community Initiative for Native Children and Families. Here’s Co-Chair Frank LaMere. “We need to give voice those who have none. And, I’m doing my part. And, I want the rest of the community to step up.” Today’s event is a follow-up to a meeting that took place last June and LaMere

041619 532 On a campaign swing through western Iowa today (yesterday/Tuesday), Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker met with students and teachers in Sergeant Bluff. Booker wants to prioritize public education and special needs education. At a roundtable discussion at Sergeant Bluff-Luton (LOOT-tin) Senior High School, Senator Cory Booker told teachers that special needs education should be federally funded at 40 percent. (0:09) Right now we’re funding it at about 18 percent. And for

041619 504 The board that oversees Iowa’s public universities won’t consider new tuition rates at its meeting this week because lawmakers are still working out their differences on state funding. Iowa Senate Republicans are proposing less money for the regents than Republicans in the House and governor’s office. Senate Republicans have advanced a plan to give 12-million additional dollars to the University of Iowa, Iowa State, and the University of Northern Iowa next year. The university

041619 432 Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker was in Sioux City last night and this morning. At an event at the Sioux City Public Museum last night, Booker unveiled his proposal to considerably expand the Earned Income Tax Credit that low-income people can receive. Booker, in his first Sioux City campaign event of the 2020 election cycle, talked about the new policy he calls the Rise Credit. He said to boost "economic justice," expanding the EITC would result in more money going to

041619 1204 Randy Feenstra, one of the three fellow Republicans trying to oust U.S. Rep. Steve King, brought in four times more campaign cash than the congressman over the first three months of the 2019-20 election cycle. King's campaign organization reported he raised a little more than 61 thousand dollars for the first quarter, which trailed the $260 thousand raised by Feenstra, a state senator from Hull, Iowa. Former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who is now the U.S. Ambassador to China, donated

041519 532 Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is establishing a board to coordinate flood recovery efforts and is asking lawmakers for state funding to help those efforts along. Lawmakers will consider a request of 15-million dollars for flood mitigation projects and 10-million dollars for housing tax credits. Representative David Sieck (SEEK), a Republican from Glenwood, says the funding is a good start. And he says the advisory board will be important moving forward. 0415sieck2: 12 “Her board will be